Victorian animal lovers will soon be able to be buried with their pets after a landmark reform passed through Parliament.
The reform, which has now passed Parliament, will soon become law – allowing pets to be buried in family plots for the first time.
Victoria is the second state, after New South Wales, to recognise the right for people and their animals to share an eternal resting place.
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell led the push for the law change after discovering her wish to be buried with her pets was illegal.
Purcell, 32, who has 17 sheep, a donkey, three horses, four ex-puppy farm dogs and four cats, said the legal change reflects how ‘deeply Australians value the bond between humans and animals.’
‘For many of us, our pets are family,’ she said.
‘This change honours that bond and gives people the right to rest eternally beside their best friends.
‘I want to thank the community, the hundreds of cemetery managers, funeral directors, anthropologists, animal advocacy organisations and fellow colleagues who supported this change.’
Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell championed the reform
Ms Purcell has 17 sheep, a donkey, three horses, four ex-puppy farm dogs and four cats
Victorian animal lovers will soon be able to be buried with their beloved pets after a landmark reform passed through Parliament
Animal welfare advocate Deb Tranter was one of the main supporters of Purcell’s push for a legal change.
‘Human and pet joint burials was normal practice hundreds of years ago until the rise of Christianity, which saw it become illegal due to the belief that animals don’t have souls and therefore are not afforded a dignified burial,’ Ms Tranter said.
‘To this day, religion is the only reason preventing the joint burials of humans and their pets.
But just because this is illegal, doesn’t mean that our cemeteries are not full of beloved pets buried with their owners, because they are.
‘Industry stakeholders regularly turn a blind eye and allow families to bury their pets in the family grave. Funeral directors often sneak the urn of a pet’s ashes into the coffin prior to burial.
‘This is happening in all states of Australia on a regular basis because it’s what society wants and because the funeral industry recognises the very strong human-animal bond.’
Until now, pet owners had to make do with backyard burials, cremation, or leaving it to a vet to dispose of the animal like rubbish; an unthinkable option for those who see pets as family.
Backyard burials aren’t possible for everyone, and if a property is sold or redeveloped there’s no guarantee the animal will remain undisturbed. Cremation is often the only legal choice – but for many, it’s the least comforting option.
The owner of kelpie ‘Riley’ who passed away in 2022 was devastated they could not bury the beloved dog
Riley’s owner had no choice but to cremate his companion
A private pet cemetery in Gisborne, in Victoria’s northwest, allows people to bury their animal’s ashes in a memorial park, but there are no legal pet cemeteries anywhere in the state.
Former pet owner Edward said he recalled how traumatic it was when his friend’s kelpie, Riley, died in 2022 and he was not able to bury her.
‘I remember it was very traumatic for my friend, he was dealing with the sudden death of his dog and was then confronted with two choices, cremation or disposal,’ Ed told the Daily Mail.
‘He had always wanted to bury Riley but was shocked when they told him there was nowhere in Victoria he could.
‘It was a tough time and he was being pressured by the vet to make a decision, in the end he cremated her but it’s never sat right.’
