Scattering cremated remains is a practice as old as cremation itself, and something that about one-third of pet parents opt to do in memory of their pet.
I love it when pet parents share their plans for scattering their pet’s cremated remains. The ideas are always meaningful, and usually the plan is still under consideration. That’s one of the great things about cremation—you can take as long as you like to decide when, where and even how to do the scattering.
The Washington State guidelines for scattering pet cremated remains are the same as for human cremated remains. According to http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/funeralcemetery/fcfaq.html, you may scatter cremated remains on:
- Private land with the permission of the land owner.
- Public land (a.k.a. state trust uplands) with permission from the regional manager.
- National parks with permission from the Chief Park Ranger.
- The Pacific Ocean beyond the 3-mile limit and you must report to the regional EPA office.
- Public navigable waters under state control including Puget Sound, rivers, streams, and lakes.
(***If you want to scatter your pet’s cremated remains in the Puget Sound, then you can even have a memorial service on a ferry: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Ferries/infodesk/faq/specialOccasions/***)
After you’ve considered where and when, then it’s just a matter of how you want to scatter/release the cremated remains.
Scattering by hand (or scatter-tube) is how most people do it, yet scattering by hand is not your only option. Here are a few unique options. They’re probably cost-prohibitive for most of us, but they’re still fun to consider.
Loved One Launcher. This is a scatter gun that acts like a cannon and will shoot your pet’s cremated remains more than 70 ft. Comes with “bio confetti.” Probably best used on a large plot of private land. https://www.cremationsolutions.com/the-loved-one-launcher-ash-scattering-cannon
Memorial Spaceflight. Send a portion of your pet’s cremated remains into space. Remains are released as close as just outside of the Earth’s atmosphere to as far away as deep space. http://www.celestis.com/services.asp
Fireworks. Scatter your pet’s cremated remains into an approved body of water via a choreographed fireworks display. http://www.angels-flight.net/index_files/Page319.htm
Helium balloons. Your pet’s remains are placed inside a helium balloon which travels to five miles above the Earth’s surface where the air temperature of -40 below crystallizes the balloon, causing the balloon to burst and release your pet’s cremated remains “into the four winds.” http://www.eternalascent.com/
Airplane. Closer to earth , have your pet’s cremated remains scattered from a plane. http://www.flyseattlescenic.com/aerial_ash_scattering.html
Release Urn Machine. You can rent this machine for up to two weeks. It provides a steady controlled scattering. According to the website, “this automated urn has been engineered and perfected to provide a breathtaking scattering ceremony.” https://www.cremationsolutions.com/information/cremation-urn-information/ash-scattering-machine/
Coral Reef. Your pet’s cremated remains are incorporated into a cement mix which is then used to construct a structure that is dropped into the ocean where it becomes a reef. http://eternalreefs.com/
***Do you know of any unique methods for scattering cremated remains? If so, please let me know! Send an e-mail to Bobbie Ruth Langley of Life Cycle Pet Cremation at [email protected].