Dog buried in garden help (sorry)

AdrianC

Do we even know what size dog? I'd imagine a Great Dane is a bit more of an issue than a Chihuahua.

bouicca21

I suspect it's pretty deeply buried as otherwise the foxes would have dug it up.

AndyPix

AdrianC wrote: »

Do we even know what size dog? I'd imagine a Great Dane is a bit more of an issue than a Chihuahua.

We do ......

tori.k wrote: »

lab cross dog was buried

westernpromise

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

If it was a probate sale it might be rather difficult to contact the previous owner.

Agreed - if it's a probate sale, while you're contacting the owner you might just as well contact the dog.

DaftyDuck

Decomposition rate will depend on the soil type, depth buried, and how it was buried. Garden soil tends to be quite "active", as it is dug, fertilised, moved... so tends to be quite wrong and rich in bacteria.

If it is buried very deep, say over a metre, decomposition rates will drop as there is less soil biological life to break stuff down. However, few would dig that far, certainly not an elderly gent.

The main problem comes from what it was buried in. Most people don't put a body in a hole naked, not the dog, cat, or wife! Using a wool-type blanket wouldn't be much of a problem, but a nylon one would be, and a polythene bin liner would take ages to perforate, and only then can the soft tissue be disposed of.

A buried dog of that size popped straight in a hole would take a couple of years in soil to lose the soft tissue, but you'll be left with the bones for decades.

Best bet is to ask around the neighbours (who helped? - burials are seldom solo events), look at the vegetation, and try and guess where a favoured pet would be buried. Leave the divining rods for the insane.

Now, just off to lay my new patio....

Fosterdog

bouicca21 wrote: »

I suspect it's pretty deeply buried as otherwise the foxes would have dug it up.

Only if foxes are an issue in the area and there are no easier food sources, myself and neighbours between us have six dogs, five cats (although one is just buried ashes so doesn't count), two rabbits, twelve pet rats, and a hamster buried in our gardens, my parents have two cats, two hamsters, and four pet rats buried in theirs and none have ever been disturbed by foxes despite us all living on streets backing onto hills and mountains in a semi rural area. I've never actually heard of anyone having their pets dug up by foxes around here, so while it may happen in some places it's certainly not a common thing.

davidmcn

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

If it was a probate sale it might be rather difficult to contact the previous owner.

It is however pretty likely that the executors and/or beneficiaries are family members who will know (or may even have been the younger/fitter people tasked with digging the hole!).

moneyistooshorttomention

LandyAndy wrote: »

It's a dog, not an elephant!

Just dig it out with a spade and have a black bag ready.

:rotfl:I'd translate that into meaning "Get someone stronger than me and without the feeling of a Yuk Factor to do it for me" - hence the mini-digger. It would have the missing strength and the driver would probably not be feeling "Yuk!" about it.

moneyistooshorttomention

westernpromise wrote: »

Agreed - if it's a probate sale, while you're contacting the owner you might just as well contact the dog.

:rotfl::rotfl:

Presumably - one woof for "yes", two for "no" and 3 for "a little bit to the left":rotfl:

DCFC79

Is it something you can stomach ? The digging aspect and finding you have started to dig it up.

Could you get someone in and instruct them to dig up what you don't want.