Understanding the Basics Of Pet Cremation: What It Is And How It Works

Understanding the Basics Of Pet Cremation: What It Is And How It Works. Losing a pet is a heartbreaking experience. Whether they were a faithful companion who brought joy and comfort to your life or a beloved friend who always greeted you with a wag of the tail or a comforting purr, it’s a loss that leaves a permanent void.

When the unwelcome time comes to say goodbye to your pet, one of the most challenging decisions is whether to bury or cremate your pet‘s remains.

Understanding the Basics Of Pet Cremation: What It Is And How It Works

Understanding your options

If you live in Singapore, you must adhere to the National Environment Agency’s regulations on pet burial. The capacity limits of waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator plants mean that larger animals, such as cats or dogs, must be sent to a pet crematorium.

In contrast, smaller creatures, including hamsters, birds, or fish, can be wrapped in a refuse bag and disposed of with your general waste.

If you live in a different jurisdiction, you may have the option to give your beloved pet a permanent and peaceful resting place in a pet cemetery.

Some pet owners keep their pet’s remains close at hand – perhaps on a bookshelf or in a particular room – while others scatter the ashes somewhere with special meaning, such as their pet’s favorite park or play.

Understanding the basics of the cremation process can be both comforting and enlightening; this article provides all the information you need to make the right decision at a difficult time.

The cremation process

So what exactly happens before, during, and after the cremation process? There are five main steps: 

• tagging, 
• body storage, 
• keepsake, 
• cremation,
• pulverization.

Tagging

The veterinary clinic immediately tags your pet’s body when it comes into their possession to make sure it remains identifiable and is treated strictly with your wishes.

Body storage

Before cremation, your pet’s body is placed in a refrigerated storage room as soon as possible after death to prevent decomposition.

Creating a keepsake

Most clinics offer owners the opportunity to make a keepsake, for example, from paw prints or fur clippings, by which to remember their pet.

Cremation

The body is put in a vessel inside a cremation chamber which is then heated to high temperatures (between 750 and 980? C) for up to three hours until the remains are reduced to ashes and bone.

Pulverization

Any remaining bone fragments are subjected to sufficient pressure to turn them to dust, and all the remains are placed in a bag and given to the owner.

Just so you know, if you are a Singapore dog owner, you must cancel your dog’s license by logging on to the Pet Animal Licensing System (PALS).

Alternative cremation options

Pet cremation facilities are staffed by caring professionals with love and respect for animals and training to handle their bodies and remain sensitive.

Appreciating the need to cater to owners’ varied wishes and financial circumstances, clinics offer a range of options for cremation.

These usually include a premium option incorporating the owner spending time with their pet before its body is cremated alone, a common choice in which the pet’s body is placed in the cremation chamber at the same time as other pets but kept separated by partitions.

An economy option whereby the pet is cremated with other pets, and the owner does not receive the ashes afterward.

Disposal of remains

After cremation, owners choose whether to keep their pet’s ashes in an urn, bury them, or scatter them at sea.

Singapore’s Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations forbid animal carcasses from being buried in public spaces. Still, they can be interred on private properties as long as there are no public health nuisances or threats.

Pet ashes can be scattered at sea according to the Singaporean Port and Maritime authorities’ regulations, which stipulate the chartering of a boat to a location at least 2.8km south of Pulau Semakau.

Understanding the Basics Of Pet Cremation: What It Is And How It Works – Conclusion

Pet cremation is a gentle, personal, and respectful way to honor the memory of your pet and say goodbye by offering a dignified and meaningful final resting place.

With numerous options for personalization, it can make a fitting tribute to your cherished companion’s life, so we hope our guide has helped help you understand the basics of pet cremation and make the appropriate choice for the pet who gave you much love and joy.