Preparing for the end

[giraffez]

If i opt for the scatter option, it will be in my back yard where he feels the safest and spends a lot of time especially in the mornings where he just sits and sunbathes.  I just worry my other boy will sniff and ingest it.  I could scatter it in a fenced off area but my boy never goes into that area so defeats the purpose.  Which company did you use @jemappelleand would you recommend them?

[Kazm]

On 17/04/2021 at 5:33 PM, giraffez said:

How does this work.  Do you call them afterwards and they come pick it up from your vet?  I’m also worried that doing this way the vet would mind because im not using their supplier.  I don’t know what it’s called but do all vets have the facility to store the body in a freezer room before it can be collected?  Or does it have to be collected on the same day?  

When we decided it was Zenas time I rang our vet and arranged the appointment with them and then I rang the cremation company and told them what time she was to be done and that she’d be ready to be picked up from the vets any time after that. I had already spoken to them some time beforehand and organised her urn and plaque. They were just waiting then for me to give them the go ahead. They rang a few hours after saying that she had been picked up and was safely in their hands. I presume the vets do have a freezer or fridge. I never asked. 
Our  first dog was euthanised in the afternoon and I actually rang the cremation company when we got home and they picked him up not long after. I wasn’t that organised as he was our first pet to pass. They were very helpful. I then used them again 9 years later for Zena. They really were very kind and had treated me very well. 
Our vet was happy for us to choose as I’m sure most would be. 

[jemappelle]

On 18/04/2021 at 3:56 PM, giraffez said:

  Which company did you use @jemappelleand would you recommend them?

In the NSW Shoalhaven area we only have one choice - Pets at Peace.  I had to push them to get a scatter box.

[Loving my Oldies]

Pets at Peace and Pet Rest have to be watched very carefully.   

 

Edited to add that there isn’t much choice.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Loving my Oldies

[giraffez]

10 hours ago, Loving my Oldies said:

Pets at Peace and Pet Rest have to be watched very carefully.

Do you mean they are no good?  If so, I’m going to avoid them if I can.  

I tried to google some and most of them seem very commercial, I don’t get the feeling of care.  

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by giraffez

[giraffez]

14 hours ago, jemappelle said:

I had to push them to get a scatter box.

That doesn’t sound too good.  What did the ashes come in if they didn’t even care to provide a scatter box? I think when they are a monopoly, the service and personal touch isn’t a priority for them.

[Loving my Oldies]

42 minutes ago, giraffez said:

That doesn’t sound too good.  What did the ashes come in if they didn’t even care to provide a scatter box? I think when they are a monopoly, the service and personal touch isn’t a priority for them.

These places have their own lines of urns, boxes, etc and, depending on who you chose you will be shown pictures of them for your selection as well as what you want engraved.   I imagine jemappelle had difficulty getting a scatter box, because they are much cheaper (and in a lot of cases, prettier) than the urns.  

 

Make sure you see written down what you want on the engraving.  Happened to me once, but luckily what I had asked for was there in the vet’s order book and the engraving was replaced.  

 

I’m about to fall into bed, but tomorrow I will take some photos of the urns I used to get (very little choice) before I discovered that there was access to all sorts of beautiful pieces on line.  

 

 

 

 

[jemappelle]

10 hours ago, giraffez said:

That doesn’t sound too good.  What did the ashes come in if they didn’t even care to provide a scatter box? I think when they are a monopoly, the service and personal touch isn’t a priority for them.

They come in the pewter urn unless you specify differently.  From memory it wasn't much cheaper to get the scatter box, if at all.

 

[giraffez]

2 hours ago, Snook said:

but don't firget about the Eco urn option I mentioned, if you're not sure what you want or feel overwhelmed trying to choose something or write the wording for engraving. You can organise an urn or scatter box later through whichever organisation you choose if that's easier and less stressful.

Thanks for that.  The eco urn looks like a scatter box.  Isn’t it really the same thing?  

[Loving my Oldies]

That looks beautiful, @Snook.   

[giraffez]

1 hour ago, Snook said:

Wouldn't one designed specifically for scattering ashes have some kind of controlled release insert in it, to make it easier to scatter the ashes? At least, that's my assumption? I haven't opened the Eco urn but my aunty got the same one for her dog and my understanding is that the ashes are sealed inside a bag inside the urn and there's nothing to assist with scattering ashes built in to it. 

Ah okay, I actually don’t know.  I was googling some of these companies and they had scatter boxes that looked exactly like the eco urn in your photo (and they cost about the same as an urn as @jemappellementioned).  I didn’t think they would have any features that would allow pouring out the ashes because the container is a cylinder so you just open the lid and pour (at least that’s what I had in my mind ).  Having said that some scatter boxes I saw were actually square boxes.

[Rebanne]

The scatter box I got was a very plain one with an easily removed lid. The ashes were in a plastic bag. You just undid the tie and tipped the ashes out. I remember being surprised at how much ash there was for a 34 kilo dog. 

[Rebanne]

All of mine came back in a carry bag, with a candle and potpourri. The scatter ones had a gift card with the dogs name. I just had a look inside at my one from a few years ago and the ashes have become quite hard . They would not be able to be scattered now.  Bit upset they are like that now so if you want to scatter I would recommend sooner rather then later.

[Daisys Mum]

I have been thinking a lot about this lately with my 16 year old .. I love the look of the eco urn.

 

[Loving my Oldies]

 

 

These are the urns that Petrest used to supply before I found out about other urns available on line.   

 

The boxes are the scatter boxes which I chose because they were a bit different and I wasn’t given any other options than the urns I already had.  

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Loving my Oldies

[Teebs]

On 4/20/2021 at 11:49 AM, Loving my Oldies said:

Pets at Peace and Pet Rest have to be watched very carefully.   

 

Edited to add that there isn’t much choice.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you mean they have to be watched?

 

Pets at peace here are amazing. Even if there was another company I would still go with them 

[giraffez]

3 hours ago, Snook said:

Just as aside to all of the practical responses we've given you, how are you holding up with everything @giraffez? And how is your darling boy doing? 

@Loving my Oldies thanks for that, they look good! 
 

Thank you for checking in @Snook.  My baby is going well but his nose bleeds are a bit unpredictable.  For over two weeks he has been normal but then all of a sudden last week he started to bleed again which freaked me out a bit because I thought it may be the end but he managed to bounce back and now he is back to normal again.  The bleeding has stopped and we are again in the “safe” zone.... for now anyway. 
 

To be honest, this post euthanasia thing is really stressing me out a little (despite the good advices that you and others have provide).  You are right that I may not need to decide now and should be spending that time with him instead but I don’t want to leave this unresolved for him while he is still here with me.  I haven’t found anything or a company that I really like.

[_PL_]

18 minutes ago, giraffez said:

To be honest, this post euthanasia thing is really stressing me out a little (despite the good advices that you and others have provide).  You are right that I may not need to decide now and should be spending that time with him instead but I don’t want to leave this unresolved for him while he is still here with me.  I haven’t found anything or a company that I really like.

If it's important to you to have a plan, a couple of calls might make you feel better. To my knowledge Pets At Peace (and possibly Pet Rest) are a franchise so their websites aren't that much help in you feeling any kind of connection with the people running them.  

[giraffez]

I have a question, is it common for people to arrange this themselves and not use the one from the vet?  

[Deeds]

I usually make an appt. with the Vet after they close or near closing or at a quiet time so other clients don't see me crying & ask questions.

 

My Vet arranges the cremation etc & I usually pay when I pick up the urn/box of ashes which is usually a week later. This means I can leave the clinic quickly without becoming even more distressed.

 

The receptionist usually explains what is available etc in the way of urns &  boxes etc.