Grief and the legal side: what to do with your dog's body

The first few hours: call your vet

In those first hours, it's easy to feel lost, and that's completely normal. Your vet knows your dog: they know what to do and will walk through each step with you. There's no technical task for you to improvise, and no decision to rush into. You can take your time to say goodbye, alone or with those close to you, if you feel the need.

At the slightest doubt, they're the one to call: that's what they're there for, never to judge. Even if it turns out to be nothing, it's always the right instinct.

What happens to their body: the options

On this delicate subject, one thing is simple: you can't bury your dog in your garden, it isn't allowed. For every dog there are two options, and neither is 'the right one': you choose the one that feels like you. And you don't have to handle it alone, your vet can arrange it entirely for you.

• Cremation, individual or communal. Individual: your dog is cremated alone and their ashes are returned to you, often in an urn, if you'd like to keep them close. Communal: simpler, with no ashes returned, and just as respectful.
• A pet cemetery: a place to come back to and reflect, if the idea of somewhere to visit speaks to you. There are around thirty of them in France.

If your dog was identified (microchip or tattoo), remember to report their death to the I-CAD register, whenever you feel up to it. It's free, with no strict deadline, online from your account or through the Filalapat app.

Your grief is legitimate

Losing a dog isn't 'losing an animal'. It's losing an everyday presence, your routines, a companion. The pain that follows is real grief, and it has no 'normal' length: no one can tell you how long it 'should' take to feel better. People sometimes speak of invisible grief, because those around you play it down ('it was only a dog'): don't let anyone shrink what you're feeling.

Talking to children about it

For a child, it's often their very first bereavement, and the way you tell them matters a great deal. Your role isn't to protect them from the sadness, but to be with them in the sadness, at their level.

• Tell them the truth in simple words: 'they have died', rather than 'they've gone to sleep' or 'they've gone away', images that can make a child fear sleep or people leaving.
• Don't hide your own grief: showing it gives your child permission to express theirs.
• Welcome their questions, even repeated ones, without forcing yourself to explain everything at once.
• Come up with a small ritual together (a drawing, a memory box), and avoid 'replacing' the dog straight away to make the grief pass.

The other animals in the home

Another dog, or a cat, can also change after the loss of their companion: searching everywhere, sleeping or eating differently, seeming more anxious. In the study by Uccheddu and colleagues (2022), nearly 9 owners in 10 observed such changes in the dog left behind. Without reading too much into it, take these signs seriously: keep their bearings in place (the same times, the same walks, your presence) and gently bring play back in. If low spirits or a refusal to eat sets in, talk it over with your vet.

Remembering, and reaching out for help

Nothing erases a dog, and that's just as it should be. Many families keep a keepsake that does them good: a framed photo, a collar tucked away in a box, a tree planted, a few words written down. There's no 'right' way to remember, only yours.

Frequently asked questions