There are no words to express how one feels when one loses a pet. Many people experience the same shock and grief felt when experiencing a human loss. Our pets are not just for amusement or decoration; they truly are treasured companions that we come to count on. Their loss can be as devastating as losing a friend. One must go through the five phases of grief with a pet, just as with any other loss, and move forward in the healing process. A pet burial ceremony may help with the healing, whether it is a formal affair or just saying a few words in memorial of your pet.

While one is coping with the loss of their best pal, one of the last things anyone wants to think about is attempting to get answers concerning the rules and regulations for burying one’s pet. Unfortunately, the ultimate answer is that one must check with their local administration to find out what the rules and regulations are for one’s particular area.

Some places to start researching these rules would be the local mayor’s office or whatever type of administration is in charge of your locale, the county Board of Health, or even the Animal Control agency in charge. One may also want to begin one’s search on the Internet, because it is often the case that the local bureaus do not have a final answer for the question.



In general, if one is a renter it is unlikely that one can use the backyard to bury a pet, unless perhaps one is a long-term renter, or rent-to-own customer, and only with the express permission of the owner of the property. If one does own the property in question, one must still check with local and Home Owner’s Association (HOA) rules. There may be bylaws of the HOA or other regulations you must follow.

If one does own the property and it is in a rural location, it is much more likely that the rules, if there are any, will be laxer or unenforced. The same cannot be said for local parks or recreation areas, which are bound by the laws of the municipality, and generally do not include provisions for pet burials.

The first consideration when choosing a site is that of whether there is a suitable area for digging a large enough hole, both width- and length-wise as well as depth-wise. Any areas that do allow for pet burials generally require that the space is dug to a depth of two to three feet deep. This allows for the grave to remain undisturbed, yet does not interfere with any ground water sources that may be in the area.

There is also the option of using a pet cemetery, even though the thought may conjure up old movie memories. These cemeteries are places where you can go to visit your pet and maintain the grave site as you wish.

Read the Pest Wildlife Home Page page for helpful information and to learn more about CAN I BURY MY DOG IN THE BACKYARD?

CAN I BURY MY DOG IN THE BACKYARD?