Is it Illegal to Bury Your Dead Pet In Your Backyard?

Every dog person has just one special dog in their lifetime. I suppose it would be wrong to choose a favorite, but dogs are like kids; we all have a favorite. Don't lie.

Sadly, my favorite dog was killed in the fall of 1994. It was a freak wind/door accident. I never recovered from the loss, probably because I had no people friends. But that's not the point of this article.

Your favorite dog never leaves your mind, and sometimes you might even look at your current dog and think, "You aren't as cool as my old dog." Don't lie.

Anyway, we put my miniature Pomeranian (and literal only friend) in a shoebox and buried her in the garden behind the house. No words were said because who was I going to talk to? My only friend was dead. Literally.

Fast forward to 2024, and my son starts working at a local pet cemetery... not even kidding. He told me how much people pay for burials/cremation/headstones/ceremonies for their pets.

I love that for them, but when I was a kid, we buried our pets in the backyard.

Is that even allowed in Northern Colorado anymore?

I looked it up.

Can you legally bury your dead pets in your backyard?

Yes is the short answer, so settle in for the long one. Naturally, there are rules and restrictions. You have to bury your pet 2 feet deep and at least 100 yards from wells or waterways. Also, you can't bury it in a ditch, you cheater.

So yes, you can bury your pet in your backyard in Northern Colorado.

The end.