Question
My mother has lost a few cats in the last year, and mine aren't getting any younger. Suffice to say, end-of-life planning has been on my mind.
The problem is... I don't want to have them cremated; I feel that deliberately destroying their bodies isn't respectful. (For similar reasons, I don't want to have them taxidermied.) I'd also somewhat prefer to take some steps to stave off decomposition, though e.g. mummification seems a bit extreme.
I also don't want to feel that I'm "not letting go"... but neither do I want to bury them in the yard or even in a local cemetary (my current residence doesn't have much in the way of emotional attachment and I almost certainly won't be staying here indefinitely).
What I'd like to do is either preserve them somehow such that I can set them aside until such time as I find a more satisfactory "permanent resting place".
Is there such a thing as embalming pets? Are there other ways to preserve a body without destroying most of it? (Encasing them in artificial amber or something similar? Irradiating in a sealed container? I'd consider formaldehyde, but I'd prefer something less fragile.)
I don't think it's productive to nitpick what "respectful" means. The purpose of this SE is to be useful to many people; if we sit here debating what it means to me, that will limit answers and limit this question's usefulness to others. Please just reply with alternatives (ones that are practical in the US — and not outrageously expensive; say, $5,000 or less — are preferred). The whole point is to know what options exist.
That said, here are some examples that are definitely not what I want:
- Cremation (immediate and total destruction of the body)
- "Sky burial" / leaving the body to be eaten by scavengers
- Taxidermy (oh so many reasons...)
Please refer back to the bold text above; methods that accomplish that objective are probably on the right track.
p.s. No, the body does not need to remain viewable.
Answer
I'm going to post this as a somewhat-exhaustive survey of what options I've found, along with brief commentary where I think each stands with respect to the stated goal. I'm also going to focus on preservation, as that seems to be the thrust of the question. Methods of burial are more-or-less orthogonal, likely to be highly subjective, and less likely to need enumeration.
Cremation
Should be self evident.
Pros: Inexpensive. Remains are essentially stable and can be subsequently used in many ways.
Cons: Typically involves immediate and almost total destruction of the body. (Might be possible to get the bones back intact.)
Liquid Suspension
The body is submerged in a preservative fluid, preferably formaldehyde. As I understand it, however, while this method may preserve a body for years, it isn't very "permanent". It's also likely to be extremely awkward for a number of reasons. Overall, not recommended.
Embalming
The body is injected with formaldehyde, displacing blood. Particular organs are punctured to allow outgassing, and some may be removed. While this procedure is likely possible, it is not widely practiced, and finding a mortician may be difficult. (However, any human mortician is a potential candidate.)
Pros: Allegedly inexpensive (~$500). The body is largely preserved.
Cons: Decay is slowed but not halted; this is probably only suitable if the body is to be buried "soon".
Mummification
The body is subjected to various processes, ultimately resulting in complete desiccation. Organs are typically removed and treated separately.
Pros: If done correctly, the body will be at least partly preserved for a very long time (thousands of years).
Cons: Very expensive (>$20,000), and organizations to do this are virtually non-existent.
Freeze-Drying
The body is placed in a very cold, very low humidity environment which allows moisture to slowly sublimate out. The end result is a sterile body that can be handled at room temperature, allegedly indefinitely. (Moisture is to be avoided.) Similar in a sense to taxidermy, and potential providers are likely to also be traditional taxidermists.
Pros: Modestly priced (~$1,000-$2,000). Most or all of the animal's own body is preserved (some sources mention removal of some of the entrails).
Cons: Takes a very long time (6-9 months, possibly more if the provider is backlogged).
My take-away advice? Ask your vet to freeze the body. They'll probably do so for free or at least a negligible cost, and this will allow time to consider options. Freezing is essentially immaterial if you wind up opting for cremation after all, or simply burying the body without additional preservation, and is already the first step in freeze-drying. This approach will give time to consider and/or make arrangements while keeping most options open.
Answered By - Matthew