BURGERSFORT – Losing a pet is heartbreaking. For some it feels like losing a child.
Sadly the next step is to make arrangements to bury your pet. Most people bury them in the backyard of their premises, but unfortunately not all towns condone this. By-laws of your specific municipality will indicate whether or not you are allowed to do so, but most of them have restrictions regarding this matter. Cremation is an alternative solution and is now popular among pet owners.
Not all animal veterinary clinics offer this service. Many clinics in the area make use of a company called Legacy Pet Crematorium to do their cremations.
Their motto says it all: Ensuring a dignified end for your faithful friend. They guide you through the mourning process and supply valuable information on how to cope with the loss of a pet.
The company owns and runs licensed and dedicated pet-cremation facilities in Cato Ridge in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Kya Sands in Johannesburg. They will even collect the carcass, transport it and do the cremation if your pet died at home, or at the veterinary clinic if euthanised. It is important to know that Legacy Pet is a dedicated pet crematorium. This means they do not dispose of any additional general or hazardous waste. Commercial cremation means your pet will be cremated along with other pets and that there is no way that you can receive your pet’s cremated remains afterwards. These communally cremated remains are not permitted to be buried on their premises as they are considered by the authorities to be waste. The ashes are transported to a landfill which is compliant for neutral waste disposal.
You can ask for the ashes to be returned to you on request. Thus your pet will be cremated in its own compartment. The owner can then decide to keep the ashes or to spread it where the pet was once very happy or enjoyed to go. They even offer private cremation where you, as pet owner, can comfortably sit and wait while your pet is cremated – this is done on appointment only. If you decide to keep the remains, there is a variety of products to keep the ashes in. Handmade pottery urns, silver urns or even scatter boxes with engraved names are available.
Some cemeteries have a special section for pets to be buried or for ashes to be put in.
Costs vary depending on the service and provider of the service, which might also include the fee of the assisted service provided by your vet.
You could expect to pay anything from R200 to R5 000.
It’s always best to consult your vet to make prior arrangements; everyone deserves a peaceful goodbye.
