Big Ed

I came across this on a canine rescue forum and am utterly disgusted. Knowing there are doglovers reading these pages I would like to encourage them to join the thousands of people who have already signed online petitions and are lobbying politicians to force Turkey to abide by european animal welfare standards as part of their acceptance into the EU. http://blog.myletsadopt.com/2011/03/22/the-rape-of-sincan/

Many thanks Righter for sharing your experience . It has been a big help. I have looked at Naturaldeath.org.uk. the link you gave and found the page on cemetries very helpful. Here is a direct link to cemetries, home burials in South Ayrshire which gives Scottish law and advice on burials. From reading this it would appear that home burial is not certain, it could still be possible for a new owner wishing to apply to remove a body. http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/registrationandbereavement/cemeteries/homeburials.aspx

PaulB, you have mentioned all my arguments for a cremation. I do not have any family to consider in this, so that would theoretcially make burial at home easier, but I am not sure whether that would really stay my final resting place...... In that respect a cremation is the far better option, I like it's 'finality' to it. Scattered on the wind and I am gone, yet still in the place I love best. It is just the costs and logistics involved which I want to sort out while I still can and having been a tight-fisted old Scrouge for so long I intend to just go for the cheapest no frills or pomp and circumstance option. There is nobody to send me off and wave Good-Bye so why fork out for all the hidden extras that hike up the final bill? When you mentioned an old graveyard in your or your neighbour's field according to OS maps I assumed it to be a human graveyard, not a midden. My mistake. My apologies if I impleyed you would treat human remains disrespectfully. They are wasting money on so many daft schemes, why can't they build a small crematorium for Shetland and hook it up to the District Heating? Or heat one of their White Elephants.

Poseidon: I'll do some digging and find info again; it's been a few years since last I looked. From what I remember; the burial will need to be recorded in the property's title deeds and put to land registry. If a new propertyowner wishes to turn your burialplot into a tattiefield he can quite easily apply to have your body exhumed and transferred to a graveyard and you end up exactly in the place you have been trying to avoid all along! If, of course, I am wrong on this than I will certainly be buried in my own garden!!!! It will be the cheapest option, no doubt. I hope you are right! Give me a day or 2 to look it up. Us 'Oldies' take a while to do these things...... Paulb: I think if you seriously looked at the problem rather than making silly and imature remarks about sea gulls you would find that there is not a quickfix and easycut answer. Some folks actually take this subjectmatter rather seriously. I do sincerely hope you deal with any human remains you find on your land in a dignified and highly responsible manner. Or do you throw the bones to the dug? In fact, should the find of those remains not be reported to the police? It does not matter if the deceased was religious or not, their remains deserve to be treated with respect! I am fully aware that cremation is not a green and environmentally acceptable option, but thank you for pointing it out. All I want is to remain and stay on the bit of land I have called 'home'. Is that hard to understand? I do not want to be dug up and transferred to some cemetary a few months down the line. As said before, I will keep looking for the right solution and let the ones seriously interested know my findings.

Thanks for all the suggestions. It appears that if you are buried in your own garden buyers can have you exhumed and buried in a graveyard. Having avoided crowds I don't want to end up in one for eternity, I'll stick to cremation. Keep suggestions coming. As the trad jazz song says "You'll never get to heaven in an old Ford car, an old ford car won't get that far" I'll keep following my own line of enquiries and see what I can earth up and post any results.

Has anyone any experience they would like to share about the costs involved in arranging a cremation from Shetland, I've heard that an undertaker need not not be involved, if that is the case how are remains sent from Shetland to the crematorium Having reached that age and made a will I am trying to work out what needs to be done next. Also I would like to have an eco send off, cheap and cheerful, with a cardboard coffin. There is no family to take into consideration, no services or extras.