Burial
Laying your pet to rest in northern Colorado
Cemetery Burial
There are a growing number of options for taking care of your pet after they have died. There are now pet cemetery locations where you can bury your pet. Within the Home to Heaven service area, there are 3 locations to choose from. Please contact them for pricing and options. The doctors with Home to Heaven would be honored to provide the transportation of your pet to the cemetery for you.
Precious Memories Pet Cemetery and Crematorium
5815 E. Hwy 14
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-482-7557
http://preciousmemoriespetcemetery.com
Resthaven Funeral Home and Cemetery
8426 S. Hwy 287
Fort Collins, CO 80525
970-667-0202
http://resthavencolorado.com
Pets at Evergreen Memorial Park26624 N. Turkey Creek Rd
Evergreen, CO 80439
303-674-7750
http://petsatemp.com
Home Burial
Home burial will be an option for some families in northern Colorado. Home burial is a wonderful way to naturally and ceremoniously say goodbye to a loved one. It offers privacy and a place to return to in your time of mourning. If you choose to bury your pet on your property, please follow these important guidelines:
1. The burial property must belong to you or someone who grants permission to bury on their land.
2. You must cover the body with at least 3 feet of earth. This means the grave site itself must extend down close to 4 feet.
3. Be careful of buried power lines and tree roots.
4. Avoid areas where natural water will pool, such as ditches and low lying ground.
5. You may bury your pet in anything you wish such as bags, boxes, blankets, caskets, and more.
6. City ordinances say that backyard burial is not allowed, but that outlying county land is acceptable. Ultimately, this is your decision.
Why are these guidelines so important? If your pet is euthanized, they will contain a medicine that is dangerous to other living animals. In the event your pet should be exhumed by a wild animal, that animal will be in danger of death by ingestion of these chemicals. While this is an unpleasant thought, it does happen from time to time across the U.S. and carries a heavy fine by the Department of Wildlife.
Funerals
Choosing how to say goodbye to a pet is a unique and personal experience. Home to Heaven will work with you to set up the ceremony and/or memorial service that best honors your companion. Many people choose to hold a funeral service for their departed companion. This can be a simple service where just a few poems or remembrances are read to a more formal ceremony with speakers and other presentations.
You can choose to hold a ceremony at your home, at a local park, or even at our center in Loveland. We have a beautiful memorial garden where we hold funerals in the beautiful Colorado landscape.
Some people, especially children, find a greater sense of peace through a funeral or other ceremony. Death is an unknown concept for most children. It is always good to discuss the loss with them and allow them to share their own experiences and memories about their recently departed friend. Even other family pets can partake in the honoring ceremony. Please reach out to our staff with any questions you have.
Aquamation
Aquamation (also called water-based cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, bio-cremation, green cremation, and flame-less cremation) is an emerging form of body care that is gentler to the environment. Starting in July 2013, Home to Heaven is proud to offer this new process to families in northern Colorado through our sister company Guardian Pet Aquamation. Home to Heaven is a leader in pet end-of-life care, including animal hospice, euthanasia services, and respectful, environmentally-sound body care. Our staff and team of doctors will make all the arrangements for you. Please note that Guardian Pet Aquamation can accomodate pets up to 100 pounds with this system.
How does Aquamation work?
Bodies buried in the earth are degraded by alkaline hydrolysis, expedited by the soil bacteria – a very slow process. The system uses alkaline hydrolysis to essentially accelerate what takes place in natural decomposition. A combination of gentle water flow, temperature, and alkalinity is used to accelerate the natural course of time. At the end of the process, the body has been returned to its natural form, reduced in the water. Remember – our bodies are 65% water to begin with. Similar to cremation, the only solid remains are the mineral ash of the bones. The ash is light sage green in color because it is clean, without carbon discoloration, and retains minerals. Because the bone and ash needs to go through drying time, a day or two more is needed before ashes can be returned to families (if desired). Aquamation generates a sterile, EPA neutral liquid solution of amino acids, peptides, sugars, and soap that is suitable for release onto the earth. Guardian Pet Aquamation gently applies the remaining nutrients onto Dr. Cooney’s farmland in east Loveland. Communal ashes will also be spread on the farm.
Private and communal services are available using aquamation. A communal aquamation means the ashes will not be returned to families. Private aquamation means that your pet’s ashes will be returned to you. Private chambers reside within the units providing a complete barrier among individual pets.
Why do we offer Aquamation as our preferred method of bodycare?
• Gentle & respectful process
• Zero emissions of harmful greenhouse gases
• Low energy consumption
• 1/10 the carbon footprint than flame-based cremation
• 20% more ashes returned for families who request them
• They are 100% clean, disease and pollutant free.
• Cost is the same as standard flame-based cremation
How do private ashes get returned to families?
The ashes from private water-based cremations will be returned to families along with a certificate of aquamation. These ashes can be picked up from one of our designated local locations or mailed to you. In our north region, families can obtain ashes from Four Seasons Veterinary Specialists in Loveland. In our south region, families obtain ashes from VCA All Pets Hospital in Boulder. Your attending veterinarian will discuss which option best meets your needs. Guardian Pet Aquamation also provides two container options for the return of ashes. Their complimentary container is a lovely rectangular box with decorative paw prints that safely holds all ashes inside. The urn offering is designed for those families that wish to keep the ashes longterm. Please let your attending veterinarian or care coordinator know which option you would prefer.
Flame-based cremation options
As you prepare for end-of-life, it is important to understand cremation options. While we prefer to use our environmentally friendly water-based cremation option, some families may choose standard flame cremation. Everyone has different needs. What is important to remember is that your decision reflects the love and devotion you hold for your friend.
No request is too big or too small.
If you choose standard, flame-based pet cremation, Home to Heaven will make all of the arrangements for you using one of our local crematoriums. You can choose the crematory you prefer or Home to Heaven can make the choice for you. We will also help make payment arrangements for cremation over the phone or during the appointment.
Types of Pet Cremation Services
Private cremation: Your pet will be cremated privately and the ashes returned to you. Each pet crematory has their standard presentation of the ashes. You can also choose a special urn or keepsake box at the crematory if you prefer.
Communal cremation: Your pet will be cremated with other pets. Communal ashes will be spread according to the individual crematory’s method. Those cremations performed by Rainbow Bridge or Home to Heaven scatter communal ashes on Dr. Cooney’s farm in east Loveland (adjacent to the memorial garden).
Chemical cremation: This is a service provided by Colorado State University’s (CSU) Veterinary Teaching Hospital and offered to families living within 20 miles of CSU in Fort Collins (some special arrangements may be made for more distant families on an individual basis). If you choose this cremation, you will also be donating your companion’s body for teaching purposes. Students and faculty study your pet’s underlying conditions and work to improve future care for generations to come.
Contacts
Precious Memories Pet Cemetery and Crematorium
5815 E. Hwy 14
Fort Collins, CO 80524
970-482-7557
http://preciousmemoriespetcemetery.com/
Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial Center
27292 CR 13
Johnstown, CO 80534
970-962-9200
www.rainbowbridgepetcrem.com
Penny Lane Pet Cremation Services
P.O. Box 584
Mead, CO 80542
303-263-0287
303-818-2404
www.pennylanepet.com
Natural Death Assistance
If your pet dies naturally, and you need help transporting them for body care, Home to Heaven can help. If for any reason you need additional help with transport, the following services may be of assistance:
Home to Heaven
970-412-6212
Safely There Animal Transporation
970-556-8661
www.safely-there.com