Has anyone brought a buried pet back to the UK?

[woollyjumperseason]

Hi bit of a sensitive subject. Our cat died last year and we buried her at our home in France. Unknown to us at the time we have had to move back to the UK. We are now looking at how to bring her to be buried in our new home. Has anyone done this before. It might be easier to cremate her but not sure if that's possible as she has been buried for a year or so.
Thanks in advance

Quite apart from the issues with decomposition, would she not want to stay where she is if that's where she spent her life rather than a new burial plot in an unknown house?

Let her rest where she is.

This website blows my mind some days. What if it was your mum - would you dig her up too?

I'm so sorry about your cat, she must have been wonderful for you to love her so much to want to bring her to the UK but would it be better for her to stay where she knew? We are likely to be leaving behind a rose bush planted on top of our Ddog's ashes when we move this summer, but it comforts me to know that she is part of the garden she always loved, haring around and digging holes!

The best thing would be to contact a local pet crematorium and ask them about the logistics . This is one of the reasons we always have our pets individually cremated so that they can be wherever we are .

Girl… the cat is gone. Leave them to rest in peace. Dont dig them up and transport a dead animal to another country. Let them be.

Let you cat rest in peace in the garden it loved to play in. Plant a rose on it. Your memories of your cat will always be with you wherever you are. Don't dig the poor cat up.

Sorry your cat died, but no way! We have two cats buried in the garden of our previous house and would never think of anything like that! If you’re snythjng like me you’ll have photos and videos to remember them by.

I'm sorry, you must be so upset at the thought of having to leave here there.

But I don't think it's right to dig her up & move her. (I also doubt you'd get permission to bring her into the UK, so you'd have to do it secretly/illegally. Which wouldn't be difficult if you are moving furniture & belongings back by road)

but in your situation I'd do something like build a planter (heavy & not easily moved) put in a plant that is robust & doesn't need much care, & leave a note that your cat us burried there.

I am sorry for your loss. I really think digging her up would be deeply traumatic for you. Far too long for her to be presentable. Not remotely long enough to be nice clean bones. Remember her how she was.

She's not really there anymore.

If anything she is part of the garden. Could you dig a few feet down above her and fill a sandwich bag with some soil in your checked luggage and then use it to plant a rose bush when back in the UK?

You would have a little part of her with you then.

No leave your cat, don’t dig her up.

Cremated remains would probably be OK, even by air, but you'd need to check.

Anything else, even just soil, is almost certainly going to be highly problematic.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-prohibited-plants-plant-pests-pathogens-and-soil#:~:text=You%20must%20have%20authorisation%20to%20import%2C%20move%2C%20or%20keep%20soil

Good point @notimagain the physical & legal issues that the OP would have to address would be many & varied. Not to put too fine a point on it, bringing a rotting animal carcass, plus soil & other organic matter, into the UK legally from Europe would be nigh on impossible - and rightly so given the risk from pathogens.
Attempting to smuggle it in would undoubtedly backfire & the penalties could be significant as well as the associated trauma being absolutely awful.

OP please, don’t do this.

Sorry for your loss, but cats are not sentimental creatures even when alive. It is unlikely that your pet will mind being left where she is.

Thankyou to those that have replied with sensible info. Everyone grieves and deals with death differently if I had wanted to leave her I wouldn't be asking. I have thought about it already.

It is possible to bring her back not cremated we have checked with DEFRA and the restrictions are proper container, by ferry or train and a form to fill out.

I was looking to see if anyone has done it and if they have any helpful advice.

I care

Please don’t do this. She won’t be your cat anymore.

Thank god it’s not your DH that’s buried in France.

From someone who still has my dog’s ashes in a box on top of the wardrobe, I also think it’s a really poor idea. You absolutely would not be allowed to dig up human remains and take them out of the country, and the same should hold for animal remains, no matter how much you miss them. Once you are ready to move, say your final goodbye and let them rest in peace.

Please don’t dig up your dead cat. That’s horrible. Let her rest where she is

Is she in a coffin, OP?

Dear heavens. I speak as the fur parent (as much Mumsnet hates that term I feel the thread merits it) of my fourth and fifth dog. I cannot believe what you are proposing to do.

She’s not yours anymore OP. Once they’ve died you have to give them back to the earth. Don’t dig her up, leave her be.

Don’t do this. leave the cat to rest in peace.