By: LISA DUNBAR Desk Editor
Submitted: 6/19/2004

If you've ever had a pet die, whether from old age, accident or euthanasia, you know how difficult it can be. And if the death is unexpected, you may not know what to do with the remains.

Of course, you want to treat them respectfully, but perhaps you don't have a large yard for burial. Or you may not plan on living in that location long.

There are options other than burial, and with a little planning, your pet can have a fitting memorial.

Jim Rushmeyer of Aberdeen did just that and now has a very personal remembrance of his faithful companion of 14 years.

Rushmeyer checked out the possibility of cremation some time ago, not knowing that he would have to have his American Eskimo Spitz, Fluffy, put to sleep this year.

Fluffy had had trouble getting around for some time, but suddenly one Saturday his condition worsened.

'He got down on Saturday,' said Rushmeyer. 'He got to the point he was just crawling.'

Rushmeyer knew it was time to put Fluffy to sleep. It was 10:30 a.m. He called Bluegrass Pet Crematorium in Lexington. The owner, Paul DeBoor, told him the business would close at noon, but if Rushmeyer would call when he left the veterinarian, he would stay open until Rushmeyer got there.

He stayed with his dog while the veterinarian put him to sleep, called the crematorium and headed to Lexington. He got there about a quarter to 1. Because it was Memorial Day weekend, Rushmeyer decided to have the cremation done on Wednesday.

When he returned that Wednesday, Fluffy was laid out on a table, so Rushmeyer could see him one last time.

'These guys I dealt with, there was respect there,' he said.

Rushmeyer also chose to view the beginning of the cremation. He knew that it was his dog alone put into the crematorium. A couple of hours later, he was also there to see the ashes removed.

'That wasn't so bad,' said Rushmeyer. 'The hardest part of the whole thing is being there (at the vet's) and the girl is holding him and seeing him go limp like that.'

The process took the better part of a day, but Rushmeyer didn't mind.

'He'd been with me 14 years. What's another day for me to be there?' he said.

Rushmeyer said the crematorium had a variety of urns to choose from. Some were large for large dogs, while there were small ones for cats. The urns were also made from a number of different materials.

Rushmeyer chose an oak box with a slot for a photo in the front. The photograph he chose to use shows Fluffy looking out the back door of their house and Rushmeyer is reflected in the glass of the door, so it looks like he is behind the dog.

He also had small brass plates made for the urn that read, 'Fluffy. My Faithful Friend: July 1990-May 2004.' He's going to add a small statue of an American Eskimo dog to the top.

'It looks just like him,' he said.

The best reason to have a pet cremated, Rushmeyer feels, is that it can then always be with you.

'If you bury your dog in your backyard. What if you sell your house, and in 10 years you drive by, and they're digging a swimming pool,' he said.

With cremation your pet's ashes can go where you go and could be buried with you. Or some pet owners have even told DeBoor that they intend to have their ashes mixed with their pet's and spread in a special place, said Rushmeyer.

The cremation cost Rushmeyer $125 based on the size of his pet, and the urn cost $50. As with styles, urns come in a range of prices. Bluegrass Pet Crematorium also offers caskets for pet burials, Rushmeyer said.

With a little planning, you too could arrange a cremation for your pet that is right for your budget and for your pet.

Contact Lisa Dunbar at [email protected]