What do you do with the remains of a dog?

Whether it's a sudden occurrence or the result of a long health battle, losing a pet is never easy.

While there are ways to deal with the emotional side of the loss, how to deal with the physical side of things — what to do with the body — is a whole other task for which you may not be prepared.

It can feel morbid to plan ahead for any death, but it can also make things easier when it happens. So consider your options and what will work best for you and your pet.

Your first instinct may be to bury your animal companion's remains in the backyard. It's easy since the soon-to-be grave site will be nearby, and it doesn't involve anything more than some hard labor in digging the plot — but that's not the whole story.

First, you'll need to keep the body in a secure, cool place while you're digging the grave. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or ASPCA says a body can be kept for around 24 hours, but the sooner you move it to a more appropriate location, the better. If possible, wrap refrigerate or, if you don't want an autopsy performed, freeze the body. If the pet is too large for a refrigerator or freezer, place the unwrapped body on a concrete slab or cement floor to draw the heat away from the body. If these aren't options, the ASPCA recommends placing the animal in the coldest part of your house and packing ice bags around it.

Another thing to consider is that state and local ordinances may prevent you from burying animals on your property, even if you own the land (and forget it if you're renting or living in an apartment complex). As a result, it's important to check if your town, county or state has laws about burying animals on your land. These laws are often in place for the health of other animals that could dig up the remains.

This can be especially problematic if you euthanized your pet, or if the pet died from a disease of some kind. Chemicals used for euthanasia can linger in a body for up to a year, and any animal that ingests the remains will also ingest what is left of the euthanizing solution. This can result in the other animal becoming sick or dying as a result. The same holds true of viruses that could potentially be transmitted from consumption of the remains.

If a home burial isn't an option, pet cemeteries do exist, and you can bury your pet in these locations without any legal concerns. Your veterinarian should be able to point you to reputable places for this process. Do your own research as well to make sure the cemetery is properly zoned and ethically operated. These cemeteries provide a permanent place to visit your animal — no need to worry about what to do if you move from your current home — as well as grave site markers. Some may also offer a wake or viewing venue.

If burial isn't an option wherever you are, pet cremation almost certainly is. Many veterinarians offices have connections to pet crematoriums, and some will handle the cremation arrangements for you, though likely at an additional cost. In 2015, roughly 70 percent of pets that entered the afterlife care industry were cremated rather than buried.

When choosing cremation, the primary decision you'll have to make will be whether you want an individual cremation or a mass cremation. Individual or private cremations ensure that only the ashes of your pet returned will be returned to you, and many crematoriums will offer, at an additional cost, a viewing of the cremation so you can be sure your pet is cremated alone. You can then store the ashes in an urn or a figurine of some kind. Crematoriums offer a selection of storage containers, or you can purchase one online.

Mass cremation is exactly what it sounds like. This is when multiple animals are cremated at the same time. This option is almost always cheaper than the individual cremation, though both options may vary in price depending on your pet's weight.

If cremation by fire isn't a good fit, there is another option. Alkaline hydrolysis, often called aquamation, is similar to cremation, but water is used instead of fire. The pet is submerged in a tank of water and the decomposition process is sped up through the solution in the tank. The process takes around 20 hours, and like cremation, what's left are bones. Instead of ashes of soft tissue and skin, however, aqumation results in a sand-like substance that lacks black bits of carbon.

Aqumation is marketed as a greener, more energy-efficient way to dispose of a pet's remains, as you can see in the video above. It uses less energy than cremation, and it doesn't emit greenhouse gases, either. It's also a less "violent" process compared to cremation, and many aqumation businesses highlight the more "natural" aspect of the process. Aquamation is also sometimes cheaper than cremation, depending on the business. Like with crematoriums, some aqumation businesses will offer memorial plaques, paw prints or even viewings prior to the submerging.

If neither burial or cremation (or aquamation) seem like a good idea, you may want to consider donating your pet's body to a university or veterinary school.

Not unlike human cadaver programs, donating your deceased pet to science can help to train new generations of animal caregivers. Students will learn anatomy, surgery and even pathology through donated remains. If your animal was sick, tissues samples may be taken for comparison to other illnesses and to research better treatments. Either way, your animal is helping advance the cause of animal science and health.

After the university or school is done with your pet, the animal is cremated. You will not get the remains back, however, so this is something to keep in mind.

If you want to go this route for your pet, it's best to reach out to a university or veterinary school prior to your pet's death to see if they will accept your pet. Your veterinarian may be able to help you with this process if they have a relationship with the university or school. Paperwork needs to be completed and the proper people notified before a pet is donated. Each school sets its own guidelines to ensure a smooth donation process, so, again, it's best to have this as arranged before your pet dies.

It is not pretty to talk about, but it may come down to this: you (or your friend/ relative) may need to handle your pet’s body. If you plan to bury your pet yourself, but cannot do it right away, then the body must be stored properly. If you wish to have your pet cremated or have the burial handled by a company that cannot take your pet’s remains right away, you will also need to properly store the remains. This is likely to be the case if your pet dies in the middle of the night or over a holiday. However, please note that some pet crematories have 24/7 phone service for these kinds of situations. The most important thing to understand is that the remains of the deceased pet must be handled as soon as possible.

The brutal fact is that an animal’s body begins to decompose immediately after death and will soon begin to give off a foul odour and attract insects. The hotter the temperature, the faster the rate of decomposition. Be aware that rigor mortis, the stiffening of the joints, typically begins within 10 minutes to three hours after death and can last if 72 hours. Again, the temperature will affect this process. Ideally, the remains will be properly handled before the onset of rigor mortis.

If you need to handle and prepare your pet’s body yourself, here is how to proceed:

1. Wear gloves while handling the pet’s body. Upon death, bodily fluids are often released. You may wish to clean the areas around your dog’s mouth, genitals, and anus if you notice fluid and/or waste. Note that additional bodily fluid and/or waste might be released when the body is moved.
2. Obtain a blanket, towel or bed sheet that is large enough to wrap around the body. Also get a heavy-duty plastic trash bag (double them up if the body is very large or if the bags are thin).
3. Arrange the body on the blanket, towel or sheet. Place the body on its side in a curled-up position, as if sleeping. This will not only offer a sense of peace, it will also make it easier to handle the body.
4. Tightly wrap the body in the blanket, towel or sheet. Then, slide the body into the plastic bag(s). In the case of a larger dog, this will be a two-person job.
5. If possible, tie the bag into a secure knot (or, tape it closed if need be). You may wish to double up on bags. If the remains will be going elsewhere, be sure to attach a label or tag with your name and your dog’s name.
6. Remains should be kept in a freezer or refrigerator until burial, cremation, or other arrangement takes place. If you are unable to store the remains in this manner and cannot get the body to your vet or a local pet aftercare company, a garage or basement may need to suffice. This should be for no longer than 4-6 hours as the odour will become severe and permeate your home. Use of additional plastic bags is recommended if freezer or refrigerator storage is not possible.

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