Advice on what to do with a buried animal

Mr Bloat

Warning - this post may trouble some people - don't read while eating!

I'm not sure if the pet forum is the best place for this so apologies if it isn't.

Yesterday I was digging up part of my garden when I came across the remains of an animal. That was nothing new to me, I have discovered bones here and at a previous home too, I would usually treat them as stones and basically disregard them. I am not a squeamish person.
This one was a little different however. When the animal died, the owners went to a great deal more effort than usual. First, they wrapped it in a blanket, then wrapped cardboard all around the blanket (probably to make it look wooden like a coffin) and then sealed it with packing tape. They then placed this in a black plastic big liner and buried it.
I have been living in this house for almost 12 years so it has been buried for at least that long, however there doesn't seem to have been too much decomposition because I lifted the blanket slightly to see what I was dealing with and there was black fur clearly visible. I presume it hasn't decomposed because it was sealed so well. It started to smell badly pretty quickly and, not knowing what else to do, I put it into another black bag and reburied it.

I don't particularly want to leave it where it is so I'm hoping someone can offer some advice on what to do with it. I would imagine that throwing it into the normal rubbish bin is a big no-no and I'm worried how hygienic it would be to dig a big hole and bury the unwrapped blanket there. Is there a public or professional service that would take the remains away and dispose of it properly and if so, would this service be expensive?

Chemical Byrne

Personally, I think you're making a big deal over this.
Just dump it into the black bin. Leave it buried until your next black bin is being collected. Then unearth it, double bin-bag the whole lot and throw in the black bin for collection. There's no big deal, it just goes to landfill.

Alternatively, many vets and rescue centres routinely send dead animals off to rendering plants to be processed into meat n bone meal as Cat 1 waste for incineration. Maybe you could call them and see. Dunno if a 12+ yr dead animal is suitable for rendering though?

lakesider

Go to a builders suppliers and buy a bag of quick lime..cut open the wrapping and cover the animal in lime and cover over again;)..

Chemical Byrne

Why bother with that hassle and expense? Just dump the damn thing in the black bin.

Frynge

Most councils offer the service of dead animal collection in regards to roadkill so i would imagine if you rang them and explained the situation they would be more than happy to help you out.

loveisdivine

I'd go with putting it in the bin too. We have enough litter above ground, without leaving loads of plastic bags buried in the earth.

blackbird 49

Bin it

seamus

Depends on your point of view. If someone went to that much trouble to dispose of a loved pet, I'd personally treat it with dignity, as if I'd found a family member of theirs. But to aid the decomposition I'd probably take it out of the bag at least, and probably take the blanket off too. Dig down about 3 feet/1 metre, place it in the ground and cover it with a number of flat stones (makes it harder for dogs/foxes to dig out) and then cover in soil. It'll decompose pretty quickly.

If you ring your local vet they can tell you what they do, but it could cost you.

DBB

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

Why bother with that hassle and expense? Just dump the damn thing in the black bin.

Chemical Byrne, there are ways of making the same point without being quite so flippant. Affording just a small bit of dignity to someone's deceased pet would be more apt in this forum.
Do not reply to this post on-thread.
Thanks,
DBB

DBB

Just for your info op, it is illegal to bury animal carcasses. Now, the chances of you actually getting caught for re-doing so are probably slim, I just thought I'd make you aware.
Most vets will, for a not astronomical amount of money, dispose of pet animals in unusual circumstances (not sure about the level of decomposition going on with yours though!) Under these circumstances, these (pet animals) do NOT go for rendering for animal feed, they are incinerated with other pets that have been pts and are not going for private cremation.

Chemical Byrne

They do go for rendering but you are correct in that it doesn't go towards animal feed production. Pet animals would be classed as Cat 1 waste so the meat n bone meal produced is exported to the continent for incineration. Typically the bulk of Cat 1 waste would be the likes of potentially infectious and BSE risk material; ie spinal columns and the like. Only the Cat 3 stuff goes for animal feed.
My BIL is heavily involved in transporting this type of stuff to and from various abattoirs and rendering plants around the country.

DBB

Pet animals that are euthanased and consequently disposed of in a vet surgery do not go into the food chain. They go to private crematoria for cremation.
That is why I was specific in outlining the circumstances.
The vet disposing of the op's animal would have to assume that it is a pet animal that may have been euthanased, and would therefore need to be disposed of as above, so that it cannot enter the food chain.

Chemical Byrne

Erm, that's pretty much what I said - deceased pets are Cat 1 waste. Cat 1 waste is rendered in dedicated Cat 1 plants (to avoid cross contamination) and the product is exported from the country for incineration. It does not enter the food chain as you correctly say.
Only Cat 3 waste (and certain things in Cat 2) can enter the food chain.

When a vet or rescue offer to "dispose of" a deceased pet, that actually means they go into a Cat 1 container that is sent off to the rendering plant.

http://envirocentre.ie/Content.aspx?ID=9ee9ed89-c898-4912-8cd4-6a03c460765d&PID=518accea-eec4-4cdf-b034-78ce58eacb4d

lorebringer

OP - contact a local vet, they will be able to dispose of it for you. They may or may not charge you but it shouldn't be expensive if they do. The animal will be disposed of as medical waste so no risk of it ending up anywhere it is not supposed to. Do not re-bury it, please get it disposed of properly.

To transport it - buy some heavy duty black sacks (as in, bin bags or garden waste bags - get them in most supermarkets) and rubber gloves, double bag it and throw the gloves in with it once it is bagged. Line your boot with another bag. You do not want any liquids getting anywhere as it will be very disgusting and smell terrible, and very hard to remove.

Diane Selwyn

loveisdivine wrote: »

I'd go with putting it in the bin too. We have enough litter above ground, without leaving loads of plastic bags buried in the earth.

I must be missing something here - surely whatever you dispose of into your black bin ends up in plastic bags buried in the earth? I'd say the its the bag that is the problem anyway as the organic material should have decomposed by now.

I'd also like to see a once loved living creature afforded a bit more dignity than simply being thrown into the garbage - didn't realise it was illegal to bury your own pets though.

inocybe

I'd bury it a bit deeper, without any bags or coverings so it will decompose quicker. Plant something nice on top.

Chemical Byrne

Diane Selwyn wrote: »

I must be missing something here - surely whatever you dispose of into your black bin ends up in plastic bags buried in the earth? I'd say the its the bag that is the problem anyway as the organic material should have decomposed by now.

I'd also like to see a once loved living creature afforded a bit more dignity than simply being thrown into the garbage - didn't realise it was illegal to bury your own pets though.

Well there are a lot more people who would differ it would appear. At weekends I've often accompanied one of my BILs drivers to some of the plants with loads. Usually abattoir waste in artic tippers but I have seen covered trip-bins of small animals that are unloaded from a curtain sider with a forklift. They are tipped into the reception hoppers at the plant complete with collars, surgical bandages, plastic bags they may be in etc etc. It's a grisly and nasty job.

Mr Bloat

Hi all, thanks for your advice. I contacted a local vet about it. They use a disposal company who take dead animals to Dublin to be cremated. This vet will take the remains as they are now, freeze it with the other dead animals on their premises until the disposal company collect the lot. It will cost me €30 but that isn't too bad considering it will give me peace of mind that it was destroyed ethically and hygienically.

DerTierarzt

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

When a vet or rescue offer to "dispose of" a deceased pet, that actually means they go into a Cat 1 container that is sent off to the rendering plant.

This is simply untrue. Most go here for communal cremation, some owners opt for the ashes to be returned individually.