Diamond or chain necklace: Animal burial methods are increasing: Watch out for garden graves!

In addition to public disposal, there is also the option of having the deceased pet’s body taken to an animal crematorium. Here, owners can have their pets cremated along with other pets. The animals’ ashes are then buried in a common grave. “This is a very sentimental place that you can visit and decorate with painted stones or flowers,” says Sager. Mass cremation is a dignified option for burying their pets, especially for people who do not want to set up an urn at home.

Unlike mass cremation, in individual cremation only the body of a single pet is cremated. Sager says this funeral ceremony is becoming increasingly popular because people can say goodbye peacefully. “Many people want to be with their pet until the end.” There is even the opportunity to attend a cremation ceremony. The pet’s ashes can then be stored in an urn, dispersed, or processed further.

“Some owners have a diamond made from their ashes,” Sager says. This requires at least 300 grams of ash, and processing, which takes about three to four months, can cost up to 20,000 francs. A cheaper option is decorative pottery. These are necklaces or keychains filled with some of the ashes. “This gives owners a beautiful souvenir they can carry with them every day,” says Sager. Decorative urns can also be made only a few years after cremation.

If you do not want your deceased pet to be cremated, you can have the body buried in a pet cemetery. “This type of burial is rarely chosen,” says Sager. Among other things, he suspects that there are only two pet cemeteries in Switzerland. One is in laufenlfingen BL and the other is in Emmen LU.

There are a few conditions for burying your pet’s body in your own garden. “This is only allowed if the garden is not in a water protection zone,” says Sager. In addition, the weight of the animal must not exceed 10 kilograms and it must be buried at least 1 meter 20 centimeters deep in the soil.