Was I Wrong?

[plasticmary]

I feel bad this morning because I read online somewhere that the body is a sacred vessel and we should honor our pets by treating it that way - bury or cremate them after a ceremony. When my first dog died in March, we had spent so much on vet bills, that we couldn't afford the private cremation where they give you her ashes. I did that with my cat that died many, many years ago and always thought I would do that with my dogs but we simply did not have the money or any means to pay for it. I wanted to bury her in the field near our house but my husband couldn't do that. He was totally against it and we ended up just letting the vet take care of her body. That ended up actually being a good choice for me in the end because there was nothing left but her memories. If I had buried her in the field, I would have been upset every time we went for a walk there. I would have felt bad for her being out there alone and when we move, which we will do, how could I have left her? I don't really want the ashes. I would have to carry them around with me for the rest of my life, like I do my cat's ashes and it's just, I don't know, sad or depressing or something. Now I just have her memories. I didn't want her to go into the group cremation. At the time it was so upsetting but now I'm just glad we didn't dwell over her dead body. It helped me in some way to just have her spirit and her life to think about it. So, when my other dog died last week, I was sure about what to do with his body. I took him to the vet school and they asked if they could do an autopsy on him. I really wanted to know what was wrong with him in the end, even though I know it's old age, I want to know if it was his heart or what exactly. The vet students will use his body to learn on and I was okay with that. I am an organ donor and don't care at all what anyone does with my body when I'm gone. But I'm so worried now that I dishonored him by doing that. I really feel that decision is better for me. Somehow it's easier to let go that way, to just have their memories. But I loved them so much and I don't want to be careless with them in the end.

[CJ Anderson]

Oh My Gosh! What MEANING you gave to that death! When Dad died he went his body went to Science Care in Phoenix. His body contributed to 28 different studies. He LOVE the idea of contributing to fighting to the diseases that killed him. His hear which was so healthy, contributed as the health heart side of health disease! I intend to have my body contributed too, What a wonderful use of something we dont need any more! By the way, I do keep the ashes in a memorial corner. But to a friend of mine - to keep the ashes was to keep the reminder of the cancer that killed him - so she has a whole non profit dedicated to him - Gabriel of Gabriel's Angels! Its about how to bring his life meaning to you!

Hugs

[plasticmary]

Thank you, CJ. Your responses always help so much. Thank you very, very much!

[kayc]

Our bodies get all tired and worn out...when my husband passed away I could see that HE was not there, it was just the empty shell of a body that he no longer needed. It is no different with our pets. I have buried all but one of my dogs in my back yard and that one was 120 lbs and it was Jan. with low temperatures, I had no way to dig a hole big enough so when the vet asked if we would donate his body for science, we agreed. If anything good can come from it, all the better.

It is us who remain that go through rituals in a way to honor them, but it's more about appeasing ourselves...for they aren't aware of the lavish burials we give them, just we are. The honoring our bodies should be in our lifetime for in death our bodies return to the dust they came from.