While some pet cemeteries allow humans to be buried there, there are far fewer pet cemeteries compared to human cemeteries making this difficult to execute. A bill in the New Jersey legislature proposed by Carol Murphy, a Democrat, would allow human cemeteries, under certain conditions, to bury cremated remains of animals alongside their owners. The bill provides some exceptions, including that a cemetery may refuse this service to anyone for any reason. It also includes an exception disallowing this practice in columbariums and mausoleums.
Currently, this legislation is still in committee (Regulated Professions Committee), meaning it still has several steps to go before it can become law. Here’s also a recap of what options currently exist for pet burial in New Jersey. One of the most commonly asked questions on this topic according to data Google gives us is: “Can you bury your dog in your backyard in NJ?” Or “Is it legal to bury a pet in your yard in NJ?”The answer is yes, under certain conditions.
First, it has to be your private property. It cannot be public property or rented property. You also have to bury them at least two feet underground. You can bury your pet traditionally, with a green burial, or with pet composting. Burial on your own property is significantly cheaper than both of the previous two options. The only costs that are needed are to buy a casket, digging tools like a shovel to dig the grave, and a headstone or materials to create one.
There are risks to burying your pet on your own property. Other animals could dig up the body, Also, if you move you may lose access to the grave. Finally, a natural disaster could damage the grave. Some areas don’t allow large animals such as horses and large dogs, so if your pet is large, make sure to check what the law is in your city.
Additionally, you may not bury pets within any of the following in order protect water supplies, so check to make sure your property does not meet any of these exclusions:
- 200 feet of any stream or groundwater
- 200 feet of any open drains
- 500 feet from a well supplying drinking water
The most popular option for pet burial is cremation because of the flexibility it offers. You have the option to keep ashes with you or in a safe place in an urn. You also have the option of scattering ashes either on your property, or sometimes on public property. For non-federal land, you must check your state and local laws to see if it’s allowed. For federal land, you need permission and it’s generally not difficult to get. Sometimes a permit and/or fee is required.
You can click here to read the full text of the bill and a summary:
