Advice On Exhumation

[Neptunie]

my two beloved cats died on september 16 in 2018 and I buried them same day. the problem is that their grave is on a beach. some 30 ish feet (I'm really not sure)

the beaches keep getting smaller over the years where I live and I'm afraid if I don't dig my babies up soon they'll wash away or someone will disturb them and not respect their grave.

does anyone have any advice?
I don't have a backyard or a place to bury them as of now, and I'd like to keep their bones in the future. they're not buried on my property which is why I'm so afraid.

any help is appreciated

 

[Winchester]

I'm not familiar with digging animals back up, so I'm not sure what to say here. Can you call your vet and see if he'd be willing to cremate the cats now? Or are you close to a crematorium that you could contact? Then you'd have their ashes.

We had buried the ashes of our Alaskan Malemute at my parents' house because we were renting at the time. Later on, when my parents downsized and moved away, we dug his ashes back up and buried him in our front flower bed. I know how weird this sounds, but he was in a Tupperware container and it was just ashes, though, so we were OK.

I'm really sorry that I can't give you any good advice.

 

[Mother Dragon]

I'm so sorry for the loss of your babies.

However, since you buried them in sand which is probably damp to wet, their bodies will have undergone a lot of decomposition and it will probably be very painful and unpleasant for you to see. My vote would be to let the sea reclaim them so they enrich it.

We buried Feather in the back yard. About six months later, we put Habanero on top of her. We dug down to where Feather was, although we didn't disturb her body. Most of her was already gone. We put Habanero on top and closed the grave. It's been about nine years, and there's a small sunken area where the girls are buried. The grass is lush because they've returned to the earth and enriched it. I can think of no better way to end life.

If you want to, create a small garden tribute area on your own property. If you have any toys or collars, put them in the ground. As you create it, use your mind to fill it with god memories, not sad ones. This way, you can visit a place of happiness and beauty.

 

[Elphaba09]

I am sorry to hear about your cats. Given that they are buried on a beach, I agree with Mother Dragon . It would be hard to see them so decomposed. I think, by the time the beach erodes enough to expose the remains, there will likely be little if anything left. Try to take comfort in that.

Since you do not have a place to bury them, perhaps you can take a little dirt and sand from the area in which they are buried and either put it in a potted plant or in some kind of pretty container like a ginger jar.

 

[1 bruce 1]

I'd never heard of this being done, but apparently it's something that you can have done by a professional in other countries, they exhume the body and take it to a crematorium.
On one hand I think leaving them to rest in their final resting place is a good thing, but on the other hand I understand your worry and being upset about this. I don't think there's really a "bad" answer here, but if you do decide to do the exhumation yourself, it's not going to be a pleasant experience. Decomposition is nasty business and in sand, it would be rapid. If you go this route, maybe have a friend with a tough stomach and mind with you that would be willing to assist you.

 

[cassiopea]

So sorry for your loss! And I can understand - it is one thing for your beloved pets to be lost to nature (Which is of course a lovely idea) but another thing if you worry about human interference and not respecting the grave and remains. And this is what I am personally addressing specifically, since it can be a real concern and don't want any owner to feel stressed or upset over it. It might not be as easy to just "let it go"


Here is some ideas that might help:


Crime Scene/Trauma cleanup company. Not only do they do things like suicide or homicide scenes, they also do cases like hoarding, decomposition, drug labs, disease control, some even do wildlife etc etc I agree with the others that doing it yourself might be too much. It might be a big thing to hire an actual company like this and you might think they wouldn't bother with such a "small task", but it might be worth it in the end since they will not only help you ease your own grief (It's part of their whole career after all, helping victims families avoid the trauma of cleaning terrible scenes themselves and showing general compassion) but would also understand health precautions and management. Since it was a beach, you might not know what to expect - creatures might have had their way underneath the sand, for example. And depending on whether you live in a cold or hot climate too. Anyhoo it might be worth just asking anyway.

These are just example links, since I don't know where you live of course and there are hundreds across countries and states/provinces:
Aftermath - Crime Scene Clean Up & Death Cleanup Professionals
Death Cleaning, Raccoon Feces Droppings, Dog Waste Removal, Forensic Cleaning


Or, someone who works with a pet memorial place or cemetery that can help you.

Otherwise, find someone close to you who isn't too delicate of stomach and is respective of your loss who can volunteer to help you exhume the bodies, or do it for you all together. And honestly, anyone you find who is like that is a pure gem! If you have no choice but to dig up on your own, at least bring loved ones nearby for moral support. You shouldn't do it on your own, emotionally wise.

As for burial (If you don't have your heart set in cremation) do you know any close family members or friends who would let you bury your kitties on their property? Or a local pet cemetery? If you want to keep their bones, you can contact a taxidermist who can manage these things, or again, a local pet aftercare memorial company who can take care of it all for you. Contact a local museum that specializes in archaeology or natural history that can give you legit resources for these things too.



Not sure if any of that helps, but best of luck! I know I am throwing a tooshieload of information at you that could look more complicated than it seems. Many hugs and well wishes!

 

[JamesCalifornia]

My vote would be to let the sea reclaim them so they enrich it.

​