We lost our furry friend a couple of months ago and whilst it was an incredibly sad time one of the things that helped bring us closure was the compassion and service provided by a pet crematorium we found via Google.
Fortunately for us and our dog she passed away overnight at home after a short illness. We chose to have her cremated and the whole process was handled beautifully and we were able to say goodbye properly. Our furry friend was back home with us inside 24 hours and now sits on a window sill inside a bird box style urn.
Hopefully we won't have to visit again for many years but for anyone who has to go through this difficult and traumatic act then I'd highly really recommend them. FWIW we went to the branch in Seon in AG and they spoke English even though our German is ok. Pricing was also very reasonable even though we'd have paid anything at this point - our dog was 12kg. With urn the costs were approx CHF180.
https://www.tierkrematorium.ch/our-locations
Hm, this was done automatically by our vet when we sadly had to have our cat put to sleep some years ago. Received the ashes in a box by post. Can’t remember what it cost now.
Losing a beloved pet is indeed heart breaking, and we all grieve differently, and that is OK.
For us, the best money we can spend, every time- is to pay extra for the vet to come to our home to pts- and do it in two stages, relaxant then terminal dose after they are asleep- in my arms, in their favourite place.
What happens afterwards is totally irrelevant to us- and each pet was removed in plastic bag for multiple cremation. No ashes, no grave, just wonderful memories and the knowledge we have done our very best by them right to the end. BTW I feel the same about people. What happens before is what counts- after is just ... after.
Thanks for sharing, Massa. I'm sorry for your loss.
I hope I don't need any such services for a very long time, but it's good to know that there is someone out there who has been recommended specifically for their levels of compassion, which is so important at an already-sad time.
Our previous dogs were put down at the vets (UK) and they dealt with cremation and we got the ashes back. I have no idea what we do if our current pooch died at home, we live 45 mins drive from the vet, I guess we'd have to drive him down there and they'd sort things from there Hopefully no time soon, he's only 4.
Wishing for a very long and happy life for him.
As said, we pay quite a bit extra for the vet to come to our home when the time comes- and s/he then takes the body for cremation.
When we first arrived here, with our great Gatsby- we discussed this with the vet during our first visit for vet check and we agreed a procedure and a fee. We have now been through the process 4 times since we arrived, as we always adopt older animals. Best money spent - for us, much more important than individual cremation, ashes and urns and headstones.
Massa, I am so sorry to hear of your loss.
Thanks for posting of your experience - how kind of you to think of helping others, even at this sad time.
Thanks for the comments. I recognise everyone has a different opinion on what's best. We adopted our furry friend at 9 y/o from a shelter in Zürich in 2015 and were blessed to have 7 wonderful years with her. She taught us a lot about life and ourselves - so when the time came we wanted to be with her to the very end.
The thought of having her put to sleep was something we were already preparing for as her quality of life was the most important thing - but in the end she took the decision to leave us during the night. Thus for us taking her on her last journey to the crematorium was a no brainer. We carried her inside and paid our respects and even had her favourite blanket burnt with her. 24 hours later we went back to pick up her remains and bring her home.
It is incredibly emotional and there is no shame in asking the vet to do this for you. One just needs to choose what works for them and their family.
It’s really hard. Thank you for sharing your story.
We did everything through our vet, who used Dubendorf. She would have come to our house. In the end, we decided to go to the office in case of any problems, and because I didn’t want my last memory of Lily to be her dying in our livingroom. Weird, the stuff you think of.
What’s most important is to be there with your pet, I’ve read more and more stories of late where vets implore people to be there at their pets’ final moments.
After Lily left us, our vet lit a candle and opened the door for Lily’s soul to leave. Whatever you believe, it was a lovely gesture.
Our urn is a globe of polished wood, its’s so beautiful.
I think the crematorium does wonderful work at a reasonable price.
Yes, so important to be there- they know, they truly know.
We are all different and grieve differently- and that has to be respected, totally.
For me, the image of my beloved pets leaving peacefully in my arms, on their bed in the kitchen- is a wonderful, peaceful memory of doing my very best to the end, for them. What happens next is totall irrelevant to me, and clearly, not to others. That's OK.
It's hard, very hard- whatever you do. Gatsby, Pudding, Slinky and Emma since we moved here <3 so mny happy memories. About the same cost as individual cremation and urn.
I'm terribly sorry to hear of the loss of your four-legged friend. It is never easy.
We had three of our dogs cremated at Seon. For the two that we took there ourselves, they gave us clay paw prints, which we thought was a lovely thought.
They also gave us the opportunity of having the urns painted with the portraits of our dogs. You have to provide a good quality photo and they have an artist that paints the urn. My wife and I were both really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the portraits. They really were super. We had an issue with one of them and we were able to contact the artist and discuss it with her. She modified the painting, just as we wanted it.
It's a very difficult process to go through, but we are both happy that we did and that we still have our "girls" with us.
I am very sorry for your loss Massa. Been through this a few times in my life and it never gets easier. And how thoughtful to share your positive experience for those who will go through the same grief one day.
My previous dog had heart and trachea problems and when he collapsed in front of me in our bedroom, we rushed to the Tierspital - where sadly he finally let go the moment we had stepped into the reception hall. They handed us a few crematorium pamphlets to choose from.
The crematorium where we had brought him was also really compassionate. When we asked them when we could pick up his ashes, they replied "we give the pets a day for their spirits to leave their bodies in peace, so you can pick him up the day after tomorrow" That touched me so much, I remember bursting into tears again.
Very sorry for you loss Massa.
Our dog had to be put down unexpectedly this week due to suddenly discovering a huge tumor in his belly. We were at Tierspital in Zurich and they let us have time with him in a room and wait for the children to come say goodbye. The doctor was very compassionate and explained everything once more to the children in a way they could get it.
We also got all the pamphlets, will try to post the links one of these days.
Today in the post we got a hand written note from the vet with a paw print of our beloved furry friend. It was so thoughtful and showed a great deal of empathy.
It’s just so sad and the pain is so raw when it happens, especially for the kids who never knew life without him.
So very sorry to hear Kri- losing a favourite pet is so hard- and I remember the pain for our children when we lost the cat they had always known since they were born. *hugs* - and what a lovely gesture from the vet.
As said, we all grieve differently- and for me, what happens before is so so important, and after is not. Whatever helps you and the children x
So sorry to hear of your loss kri.
It's never easy to make these decisions and our pets always leave a big hole in our hearts and our lives when they leave us.
So sorry to hear this Kri. If it's anything like us the emotional rollercoaster will be tough over the next few weeks as you adjust to life without a furry friend. It will get easier though I understand it's so raw now.
3 months on from our loss we're now rather unexpectedly sharing our house with a dog again. After a 2 week period of probation for humans and animal alike we've just formally adopted a male 7 yr Cocker Spaniel that we found via the great resource https://www.tieronline.ch It wasn't planned - but one moment of weakness/curiosity led to me perusing the site and the rest as they say is history.
I'd be happy to talk further with you if you wish. Feel free to send me a note via PM.
Take care!
Wonderful, bravo.
Fabulous that you chose an older rescue. Enjoy
I'm so sorry, Kri.
Losing our furry friends is always painful, but even moreso when unexpected. My heart goes out to you and your family, especially the children.
Your vet sounds like a kind and compassionate person.
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Massa, I've always thought that the pet who is meant to be with you somehow shows up in your life when you need him. I'm very happy for you - may your new friend bring you much joy.
I feel the pain for anyone who loses a pet .We love our little cat...different species, same family... picked her up as a rescue cat from the cats protection people near Walton in Surrey years ago.
She‘s 18 now and the visits to the vet are getting more and more frequent. We will be be devastated when the time comes for her to go
My mother told me the only time she saw my father cry ( a hard as nails ex labourer/truck driver )was when he buried his beloved cat in the garden .