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Need help on decision of burial or cremation

Sakura6267

Warren Scout
For those of you who don't already know, my darling little bunny, Yuki, passed away last Wednesday. The grief is just unbearable. I have waves of crying fits followed by void numbness. The first thought I have when I wake up is that my little Yuki isn't in this world anymore. It has been horrible enough for me, but I am left with yet another decision. At the vet when I brought him in, they were showing me little urns that they would put his ashes in if I decided to have him cremated, but I was in no state to make the decision at that time so they offered to put his body in their freezer until Spring when the snow melts and ground thaws out so I can bury him in our yard. They don't usually do that, but because he's so small, and the people at the vet know me so well and knew how much I loved him, they offered it to me. But now I'm not so sure. The plus side about him being cremated and put into a little urn would be that I could keep him with me in the house. But I like the thought of having a grave to visit where I can put flowers on every day. I was thinking of burying him by the big rock in our yard and have a little gravestone engraved for him. But the problem is that here in Canada, it's winter for over half a year. His grave will be covered in snow a lot, and I won't have fresh flowers to place on it. But the downside of having him cremated is I can't bear the thought of having his beautiful little body burned to ashes. I know it's illogical since he's no longer in that body, and I know he'll deteriorate anyway over time, but it just makes me sick to think about having him burned up. I know in the end it's my choice to make, but I would really appreciate your opinions and advice.

My friend made a suggestion to me that I think I will do. I'm going to ask the vet to cut off a piece of his beautiful white fur for me to put in a little packet and carry around with me. My friend said she did this when her beloved cat passed away and it helped. I'm hoping it will ease the pain a tiny bit for me too.
 
So sorry you have lost Yuki:cry:.

I always bury my pets in the garden cos I simply believe that we should go back to the earth, but I know lots of people find comfort having an urn - guess its a case of personal preference and what you believe in?
 
So sorry about Yuki :cry:

Ive never lost a bunny of my own, so cant really comment. I think i would want to keep my bunnies close to me, i wouldnt want to bury them in the garden just incase we ever moved house :(

I hope you come to a decision soon, it must be so hard :( xXx
 
so sorry about Yuki :(

I always have to bury my rabbits because although I know it's illogical, I somehow don't like the thought of burning them. I like the thought of them returning to the earth and nourishing the plants etc etc.

I kept a piece of Sorrel's fur and put some of it in a little locket so she's always close by :)
 
I hate the thought of cremation but I also hate the thought of burial too!! If you have him cremated you can see how you feel about keeping his ashes near you indoors you will then always have the option of burying his ashes later if that's what you would prefer to do when the grief let's you think more clearly! A friend of mine keeps some of her sons ashes in a purpose made little silver locket on a necklace! Each time I read your posts about Yuki it breaks my heart for the pain you are going through :( big (((HUGS)))
 
sorry about yuki :cry: i know how hard it is and how you feel

i was going to have mowgli cremated, but on the day i had him pts i changed my mind, i wanted to bring him straight home, i didn't want to leave him at the vets, soo i brought him straight home and we buried him :cry: but it was lovely for him and soo peaceful
 
I am so sorry for the loss of your little one:cry::cry:.

I have lost two babies in my rabbit life time, my Elvis and Molly.
I have had them both cremated, they are in beautiful boxes that i have chosen for them. I feel that thats what i needed to do.

I really think its such an individual choice, but for me it was defiantly the right one.
 
I am so sorry about Yuki, I can understand the devastation you feel.

I have lost five rabbits in my lifetime and they have all been buried. My darling Parsley died when he was ten years old and I decorated a shoe box with ribbons and pictures and buried him deep in my childhood garden on a patch that he used to lie out on. Seasons later, we had loads of flowers and herbs come up on that patch and the grass always grew longer there so we could always tell where he was.

My relationship with the rabbits I've had as an adult has been different because they've been like my babies, my children and they represent a milestone in my independence and a significant point in my life where I've decided I want to nurture vulnerable things and used my own money to spoil them. When they die I am going to want to keep them close to me and would probably want their ashes so I could put them in a little locket/locket ring to carry them around with me all the time.

I feel like cremation is "cleaner" and more compact than burial and I would feel less like I was abandoning my babies if I moved house and they were still buried in the bottom of the garden with God-knows how much planning permission the future owners might have to build sheds/outbuildings etc over the grave. But if you are the kind of person who wants Yuki to go back to the earth, I think that's the best option.

I would also recommend getting a locket ring to put some of Yuki's fur in.
 
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Yuki, of course this is a very personal decision that only you can make. We once buried a beloved bun in our back garden, but when we moved away it broke my heart to have to leave her there. I would always opt for cremation now, and scatter the ashes in a loved public place that can always be visited.
 
I received the perfect solution for me from a private message sent by a user here. I will now be burying him in a large, beautiful pot in the Spring, one large and deep enough for his coffin to fit in. I will then plant flowers on top. This way, as she pointed out, if we moved, I can bring the pot with me, and I don't have to have his sweet little body burned. I will also get one of those clear, passport kind of keyrings for a lock of his fur.

I personally want to be cremated when I die. But for some reason, I just can't bear to do it to Yuki. I guess it's a subconscious thing I can't explain. But I feel much better for him to be whole for as long as possible, and this way he still has a grave I can sit beside.
 
I am so sorry for your loss and I totally understand the complete devastation that you feel. Our little baby died a few months ago, he was our first bunny and he came to us out of the blue. He lived in the house with us so we could not bear to put him in the garden. We had him cremated and have him in a beautiful casket. One day we may scatter his ashes but I cant really ever see that day coming.

I know that we can all give you our experiences and support you through yu grief but only you will know what is best for you and your little Yuki. Was he a house bunny or did he live in the house?

I really hope you start to feel better soon

Angela
 
For those of you who don't already know, my darling little bunny, Yuki, passed away last Wednesday. The grief is just unbearable. I have waves of crying fits followed by void numbness. The first thought I have when I wake up is that my little Yuki isn't in this world anymore. It has been horrible enough for me, but I am left with yet another decision. At the vet when I brought him in, they were showing me little urns that they would put his ashes in if I decided to have him cremated, but I was in no state to make the decision at that time so they offered to put his body in their freezer until Spring when the snow melts and ground thaws out so I can bury him in our yard. They don't usually do that, but because he's so small, and the people at the vet know me so well and knew how much I loved him, they offered it to me. But now I'm not so sure. The plus side about him being cremated and put into a little urn would be that I could keep him with me in the house. But I like the thought of having a grave to visit where I can put flowers on every day. I was thinking of burying him by the big rock in our yard and have a little gravestone engraved for him. But the problem is that here in Canada, it's winter for over half a year. His grave will be covered in snow a lot, and I won't have fresh flowers to place on it. But the downside of having him cremated is I can't bear the thought of having his beautiful little body burned to ashes. I know it's illogical since he's no longer in that body, and I know he'll deteriorate anyway over time, but it just makes me sick to think about having him burned up. I know in the end it's my choice to make, but I would really appreciate your opinions and advice.

My friend made a suggestion to me that I think I will do. I'm going to ask the vet to cut off a piece of his beautiful white fur for me to put in a little packet and carry around with me. My friend said she did this when her beloved cat passed away and it helped. I'm hoping it will ease the pain a tiny bit for me too.

Awww I am sorry for your loss, the fur idea is nice maybe to put in a locket? Personally I like to bury my pets however, we are thinking of moving so when my doe and then my rat died I buried them at my mums, I don't want to have to leave them behind here. They won't be moving at all ever so they are better there. I already have 2 pets to uplift. I can't bear the thought of them ending up dug up by someone else. That is something to consider I think ( where they get buried ) although if you are able to dig up again to take with you then it is fine. It is difficult but, you will know what to do, just take your time and remember his spirit isn't being buried or cremated just his physical remains. He will always be in your heart and mind x
 
:wave:i think the pot idea is lovely, that way you can have something in it all year round, to remember your bun by
 
Was he a house bunny or did he live in the house?

Yes, he did live in the house. I bought him a special rabbit leash and had him hopping around outside in the summer. The winters are so cold here there's no way we could keep him outside. Even though he was a house bunny, I think he really enjoyed being outside.
 
Its your own decision so it has to be what you feel is right. I have always had my bunnies cremated, and got their ashes back which I then buried/scattered them in the garden. I don't like the idea of what happens if their buried (the same as I don't want to be buried when I die!). I don't need anything like a memorial or keep sake, my buns will always be in my heart - but I understand that some people like to have something to go to or hold etc.

I think you're very brave to have let them freeze Yuki too, I couldn't have done that but it makes sense so that you can choose what to do when you are feeling calmer.

Whatever you decide to do is ok, and right, just go with your gut instincts. It makes no difference what anyone else thinks.

So sorry for your loss, we all know how heart breaking this is. Sending hugs.
 
I do like the burying in a pot idea, but at the same time cremation is also ideal because I can keep him inside with me. I thought I had decided, but I guess I haven't. Right now my mind is so muddled I can't even think straight.
 
i get all my animals cremated only because i have a phobia of burying any kind of dead body i hate teh thought of something going mouldy :oops::oops:

Im sorry to hear about Yuki i hope you come to a decision soon
 
Three little wild bluetongue skinks made a home for themselves in our garden right near our door. Unfortunately one was killed by a snake and although they were not pets like our bunnies who were cremated, they were quite tame and had allowed us to share in their wild lives. We felt we had to honour her life so buried her in a pot with a native shrub. It is an alternative which allows us to take her with us should we ever move as we still look after her sister.

DSCF0666R.jpg
 
I was wondering if you could keep the potted plants with the coffin inside the house, or would it smell too much when the body starts to decompose?
 
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