Burying a pet at home, properly
A grave in the garden is the oldest goodbye there is: free, private, and close. It's also regulated more than most people know, and wrong for some situations. Here's how to do it right, and when not to.
Updated August 2026
Is it legal where you live?
On private property you own, home burial is permitted in many Australian council areas, but not all, and conditions vary widely. Councils commonly regulate minimum depth, distance from waterways and bores, and block size; some urban councils prohibit it outright. Check before you dig: search "your council pet burial" or ring them. It's a question they answer routinely. Renters need the owner's permission, and should read the next section first.
Doing it properly
- Depth: at least 1 metre of soil cover, deeper for large dogs. Shallow graves are found by wildlife and other dogs; this is the rule that matters most.
- Location: away from waterways, bores, vegetable beds and utility easements (call Dial Before You Dig on 1100 for a big excavation). Somewhere that won't be disturbed by future landscaping.
- Wrapping: something biodegradable: a cotton blanket, a wooden box, a wicker coffin. Skip plastic entirely.
- If euthanasia medication was used: burial must be deep and secure: the medication remains in the body and is dangerous to scavengers. Your vet will advise; this is also why deceased pets must never be left accessible.
- Timing: dig before the day if the burial follows a planned home euthanasia: it's heavy work you don't want in the hardest hour.
Not sure what to do next?
We'll match you with a home visit vet who covers your area and email you their introduction. Reply to it and they'll call you. There’s no cost to ask, and no obligation.
When cremation is the wiser road
Be honest about two futures: moving house (the commonest home-burial regret is a garden that now belongs to strangers) and renting. If either applies, cremation with ashes kept or scattered somewhere meaningful gives the same closeness and travels with you. A middle path many choose: cremation plus burying the ashes in the garden. Legal everywhere, movable always.
Marking the place
A tree or shrub planted over or beside the grave is the classic Australian marker. Natives like grevilleas and lilly pillies do well and feed the birds your pet used to watch. Stones, plaques and sleepers all serve; what matters is that the household knows where, and that it feels right when you pass it.
Common questions
Can I bury a pet in a park, bushland or the beach?
No, public land burial isn't permitted. Home ground or a pet cemetery are the burial options; scattering cremation ashes discreetly is the usual compromise elsewhere.
What about very large dogs?
The depth rule scales: allow well over a metre of cover and a substantial dig. Many large-dog owners choose cremation for exactly this reason; there's no shame in it.
Are pet cemeteries still a thing?
Yes, most capitals have one, with plots and markers from roughly $800 to $2,500+. The aftercare guide covers them alongside the other options.
Weighing the options?
The aftercare guide compares burial, cremation and keepsakes honestly, and any local vet will talk it through when you enquire.