Home Burial Information:

PLEASE NOTE: Home burial of humanely euthanized pets is often subject to strict local ordinances and regulations. These rules are important to protect the health of other animals including wildlife. This is important because pets that are humanely euthanized typically receive barbiturates, which remain present in the body for an extended period of time. These drugs can cause secondary poisoning of other animals if ingested. Pet owners may face serious legal troubles including steep fines if secondary poisoning occurs.

For more information, you may navigate to the following articles regarding secondary poisoning:

For these reasons, oftentimes cremation is a more suitable option for after-care of beloved pets.

Home Burial Guidelines:

Adapted from Lap of Love guidelines on home burial:

There are many important steps involved with the burial of your beloved pet. You MUST adhere to all local regulations and county ordinances regarding the home burial of pets.

Here are the minimum requirements for home burial of pets. Your locality may have other restrictions:

  • FIRST: Check your county/township/municipality ordinances for restrictions on pet burial. You may need to contact your local Board of Health to make certain home burial is permitted especially if the pet was humanely euthanized (due to the drugs used to effect humane euthanasia).

  • SECOND: Call your local utilities office and Mass Dig Safe (811; 888-344-7233) to mark your yard for underground gas lines, water lines, and other utilities. The civil penalties for not following Dig Safe laws and any resulting damage to utility lines are costly (e.g., $1,000 per offense for non-gas lines, and up to $200,000 if a gas line is involved). Dig Safe REQUIRES 72 hours before any excavation can begin.

  • THIRD: Consider the length of time you may be staying in your location and any future additions when choosing a location. If you may be moving, consider whether cremation with the pet’s ashes returned in an urn would be a better option, or if interment at your local pet cemetery would better suit your needs.

If home burial is permitted and you have selected an appropriate location, consider the following:

  • Organic/natural materials such as small blankets, t-shirts, or pillow cases work well to wrap around the pet’s remains before burial (avoid inorganic materials/plastics as they will not break down and can slow down the natural process of returning to the earth).

  • Consider biodegradable urns or boxes (Lap of Love recommends “Paw Pods”) if desired for burial; consider also contacting your local pet crematory for other options.

  • Proper depth is critical: at least 3-5 feet to deter other animals from investigating the burial site. At least 2 feet of soil is necessary on top of the remains.

  • It is recommended to sprinkle lime powder (calcium hydroxide) at the bottom of the burial site and more on top of the remains, about 1 cup each. Lime can be purchased over the counter at most hardware and/or livestock stores. This helps control the natural breakdown process.

  • A headstone or other decorative memorial piece is useful to discourage digging at the burial site by other animals. NOTE: The euthanasia medications are deadly to other pets and wild animals, and pet owners may be held liable if other animals are injured or killed via relay toxicosis (secondary toxicosis) because those animals were able to gain access to the euthanized pet’s remains.

  • If burial must be delayed, cold storage (refrigerator or freezer) of your pet’s body in an airtight plastic container may be useful to prevent premature breakdown.

If you choose to bury your pet’s ashes:

  • Cremation ashes tend to have a pH that is not suitable for plant growth right away as well as a high concentration of salts. If having the cremains support a plant or tree is your goal, then mixing your pet’s ashes with an organic soil mixture may help the process. There are commercial solutions that help isolate and condition the ashes for supporting plant growth (e.g., see Bios Urn Pets).