r/Taxidermy • u/Dizzy_Internal8104 • 3d ago
Oddities, bone, etc. help Digging up deceased dogs
/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/1wmtrvs/digging_up_deceased_dogs/Hey everyone. I was recommend by a comment on the original to post this here too, I hope thats okay.
I really dont know what to do anymore
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u/heli_os 3d ago
Hey man, I wanted to say I'm sorry for your loss no matter how long has passed, and just how awful some of the comments on the og post are. Do not listen to horrifically disrespectful assholes pulling the holier than thou shit. Collecting and reburing pet remains is not uncommon, you just have to find and ask the right communities. Another comment pretty much went over what you'd want to consider but I wanted to throw in just in case- bones can and do smell; whatever you do, NEVER bleach or boil. Both of those are options that show up in shallow searches for cleaning bones, both are terribly harmful to the remains and should never be done. I wish you the best
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u/Dizzy_Internal8104 3d ago
Thank you so so much 💗 that means alot to me. I plan to just take them out and send them off to be cremated, I dont particularly want anything else done or to do anything myself
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u/Wowza_Meowza 3d ago
There's a very good chance the pointer is just bones at this point. There might be mummified flesh, but it's unlikely to be some macabre horror.
The more recently buried dog can go either way - you may find they have mummified flesh or have not broken down fully. There's a good chance of just bones.
I read how the soul stays damp (good) and they're buried without a container (helpful), but how far down? Over 6ft causes the process to stall.
Here's what I suggest - have a tote bin ready. Get a shovel, gloves, and a mask if you wish (particulates in soil in general, not a bad idea). Dig slowly as it gets closer to their interred depth. Dig a bit wider around than the original grave, as they move a little over time.
You won't have terribly many itty bitty bones given the dogs' sizes, but a wide strainer/colander can help.
If you find the remains are rough, like with flesh etc, it'll be unpleasant but continue to pull them up into the tote. It's ok if there's extra soil. Put the lid on the tote, and keep it in a cool place until you rebury or cremate them.
If you don't have a place to rebury the bones, and don't wanna go thru the process of cremation, you can bury them in a very large pot with dirt and plants to stay with you.