Woof & Meow Decoded — Meng Shengsheng — 2018/08/16 (Thursday)

Every time I write this column, it is late at night. My three "bone-melters" always love to sleep by my feet, then emit happy snoring sounds. Why happy? Because they are still alive, still by my side. Sometimes I think, if one day they were gone... just the thought makes my nose tingle.

Unfortunately, the parting of life and death is something we must face. According to a consultant research report from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department last year, Hong Kong people kept a total of 681,600 pets in 2016, of which dogs and cats accounted for 510,000. If we estimate based on foreign research showing a 5% annual pet mortality rate, at least 30,000 pets pass away in Hong Kong each year — a staggering number.

Last year, Hong Kong's first aquamation (bio-cremation) pet farewell service opened, providing owners with an additional option. Aquamation services have been popular overseas since 2006, initially for humans, and later adapted for pets. During the aquamation process, staff place the pet's remains in a clean stainless steel cradle, and by controlling the water temperature and alkalinity, the natural decomposition of the remains is accelerated. After 24 hours of aquamation, bone fragments remain, which are then air-dried and compressed into ashes. Owners can mix the ashes into soil to grow a potted plant as a memorial, symbolising the beginning of a new life. Since the process does not cause air pollution, it is also more environmentally friendly than cremation. Aquamation is priced similarly to cremation by weight, with aquamation costing approximately 10% more. For pets weighing 5 kg or below, individual processing starts from approximately HK$1,800.

I have never tried pet farewell services, so it is difficult to comment on which is better. I believe each owner has their own preferences. Rather than worrying about the choice at that time, I think it would be better to ask my three "bone-melters" their wishes in advance through animal communication. But I think the most important thing is to love them wholeheartedly while they are alive — that way, there will be no regrets!

*The above text and images are from Metro Daily — Woof & Meow Decoded — Meng Shengsheng

*Website source: http://www.metrodaily.hk/metro_columns