Disposing of Pets in Durham, NC

Sorry folks, but this post is a bit morbid. OK, really morbid, but I think it’s important to share. I live in Durham, NC. Here are the most important rules for burying pets in North Carolina (from the North Carolina general statutes):

• bury 300 feet from any flowing stream or body of water.
• bury at least three feet beneath the surface of the ground within 24 hours after death.

This information is available on the North Carolina General Assembly website.

With almost any problem, my first coping mechanism is gathering data. It gives me a sense of control. False control, in this case, but at least I’ll be prepared when Star’s life is indeed over. And focusing on the facts is an effective buffer against otherwise painful emotions. That’s my story for now, and it’s working. I’ll get to the painful emotions later.

Pet Rest Cemetery

Bill and I finally found the local pet cemetery in Durham, NC. Pet Rest Cemetery was originally located off Highway 70 in Raleigh near what is now Brier Creek. With the development of Brier Creek, the cemetery (with more than 300 pets) was forced to move.

If you’re looking for Pet Rest Cemetery, don’t rely on Google Maps, at least as of April 29, 2007. The map led us to an upscale neighborhood off Strickland Road in Raleigh. Definitely no animals buried there! A Triangle Business Journal article dated October 14, 2005 led us to the vicinity of Glenwood and Alexander near Avera Place Apartments. Here’s the Google map.

As you enter the apartments, the cemetery is on the left. You’ll see the gazebo and a large tombstone bearing the name Pet Rest Cemetery. A gravel driveway leads you to a small parking area. The place is bleak. Clumps of weeds dot the red earth. Small gravestones and markers are arranged in circles around the white gazebo. Many were covered by dirt, so you can only see the outlines of the gravestone. At the back of the field, 30 or 40 gravestones appeared to mark a mass grave. I wondered if the owners couldn’t be contacted when the cemetery was relocated.

Based on the state of the cemetery, we won’t bury Star there when she dies. I don’t know what we’ll do yet. Other options include:

• taxidermy (or freeze drying): Way too creepy!!!! Just look at the photos. The pets can be arranged as if they were casually napping on the couch. Who could live with that constant reminder?!?!! Fido staring at you through those glass eyes from beside the fireplace. Poopsie curled up in a permanent nap. I’m not THAT detached from my emotions! In terms of cost, freezing Star would cost over $3000, $340 more for a raised head.
• cremation: Cherry urn, $100. Cremation approx $130 for Star (based on rates at PetGuardian.com) Extra fees for transporting body from vet to crematorium.
• home burial: Casket costs $30 to $200 or more depending on materials — biodegradable plastic, non-biodegradable plastic, styrofoam, wood. Stone marker $30 to $110 and up. (based on products at http://www.perfectmemorials.com/pet-memorials-c-396.html)
• disposal by vet. Something like $50.
• conversion to a diamond: I’m not kidding. A 1/4 carat colorless diamond starts at around $3500. Blue, red, yellow, and green diamonds can also be purchased. The diamond is created from a lock of hair though originally cremated remains were used. At first, this sounded bizarre, but if it weren’t so expensive, I’d go for it. The final product has no resemblance to the pet, thereby decreasing the creepiness factor. It’s simply a visual reminder of the special relationship you had with the pet. Creepy would be wearing a ring on each finger for all of your dead pets or even worse — carbonizing Grandma!

Here are some helpful links for handling (practically and emotionally) the death of a pet:

• Advice on a variety of issues (dealing with emotions, determining quality of life, deciding on euthanasia, cloning, etc.): http://www.pet-loss.net/index.html
• A guide to euthanasia: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/timetoletgo.htm
• Death after-care options: http://dogs.about.com/od/griefandloss/p/death_aftercare.htm
• Pet cremation providers by state and province: http://www.cremation.com/petcremation/index.asp (enable pop-ups in your browser)
• Pet burial and funeral options: http://www.thefuneraldirectory.com/optionsfaq.html
• Pros and cons of after-death options: http://www.ourpals.com/support/care.htm
• Jewelry memorials: http://www.perfectmemorials.com/jewelry-memorials-c-395.html