Moving your dog after they die: lifting, wrapping and getting them to aftercare
Wrap your dog in a blanket or towel on a firm surface, lift with two people for anything over about 40 lb, and keep them cool until they're collected or you drive them yourself. Home pickup is available in most areas; one provider charges $125[1] for home removal.
By the Dog Cremation Services editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 5 min read · Sources
- How to lift safely, even a very large dog
- Driving yourself vs home pickup
- Keeping your dog cool until collection
Before moving anything
How should you position your dog before moving them?
If your dog has just died, gently straighten their legs and tuck them slightly toward the body, as if they were curled up asleep, within the first couple of hours. After that, the body stiffens for a day or so, which makes lifting and fitting into a car or carrier harder. Close their eyes if you can; don't worry if they won't stay closed.
Place a towel or puppy pad under the tail end, since the bladder and bowels often release after death. Then lay your dog on a blanket, a sheet or their own bed. This becomes your stretcher. If your dog is elderly and still with you, our pre-planning guide helps you arrange all this in advance.
Lifting
How do you lift a dog's body safely?
- Small dogs (under 25 lb): Wrap them in a blanket and carry them close to your chest, supporting the head.
- Medium dogs (25 to 60 lb): Use the blanket as a sling. One person at each end, lifting together, knees bent.
- Large dogs (60 to 100 lb): Slide a firm board, an ironing board or a folded tarp under the blanket first. Two or three people.
- Giant breeds (over 100 lb): Don't attempt stairs without enough help. Ask the pickup provider to bring a stretcher and a second person.
In a UK study of more than 28,000 giant-breed dogs, the median adult weighed about 108 lb[2], heavier than many adults can safely lift alone. Providers know this; one North Carolina service charges an extra $100 per staff member for pets over 50 lb[1]. It's worth it to avoid an injury. By our estimate, a dog that size also leaves about 3.8 lb of ashes[3], so plan for a full-size urn later.
Wrapping
What should you wrap your dog in?
A blanket, sheet or towel is right for most families. Many providers also accept their own bed. Owners feel strongly about this: in one US survey of pet owners, 64%[4] called a trash bag an unacceptable container for a pet, while two-thirds found a blanket or shroud acceptable. If you need a waterproof layer, put a plastic sheet under the blanket rather than around your dog.
If you'd like something to travel with your dog, tuck it into the blanket now: a favorite toy, a letter, a photo. Tell the provider what's there, and whether you want any of it returned. Our post on the cremation form explains how to record it.
Would you send a favourite toy or blanket with your dog?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Getting there
Should you drive your dog yourself or arrange a pickup?
| Home pickup | Driving yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Typically $75 to $175, more at night | Free apart from fuel |
| Lifting help | Staff bring a stretcher | You need helpers at both ends |
| Timing | Booked slot, often next day | Whenever the crematory or vet is open |
| Emotional load | Say goodbye at home | Some find the drive meaningful; others find it hard |
If you drive, lay the back seats flat or use the trunk of an SUV, with a blanket underneath. Put the air conditioning on in warm weather. Call ahead so someone is ready to help at the other end, and bring a second person if you can; nobody should have to drive home alone after that.
Vet clinics also accept bodies for cremation, usually during opening hours. In a US survey, the most common owner wish was for a pet to leave the vet within 24 hours[5]; ask the clinic when the crematory next collects.
Waiting
How do you keep your dog cool until they're collected?
Choose the coolest room in the house with a hard floor, such as a tiled kitchen, laundry room or garage in cool weather. Keep your dog out of the sun and away from heaters. Ice packs or frozen water bottles wrapped in towels, placed along the belly and back, help in warm weather. Replace them every few hours.
In a cool room, most families can wait overnight comfortably, and our guide to what to do if your dog dies at night walks through those hours. In a warm house or summer heat, aim to arrange collection within about 24 hours. Waiting until morning can also save money: night and weekend collections usually cost more, and a rush cremation commonly adds $50 to $150[6]. A UC Agriculture and Natural Resources guide also notes that several California counties set a 24- or 48-hour limit for disposing of a dead animal.
Not rushing
Can you keep your dog at home for a goodbye before pickup?
Yes, and many families do. A few hours, or a night in a cool room, gives children home from school, a partner on the way back from work or a neighbor who walked the dog a chance to say goodbye. Lay your dog on their bed with a blanket drawn up, as if asleep, and light a candle if that feels right.
If you're planning ahead because your dog is elderly or ill, a home goodbye with a visiting vet avoids moving your dog while they're alive and gives you control over timing. Our guide to saying goodbye at home explains how the vet hands over to the crematory, so the lifting and driving are handled for you. Remember to tell the pickup provider what time suits, and whether you'd like a few minutes when they arrive.
Special situations
What if your dog died away from home?
- On a walk or in the car: Wrap your dog and call your vet or an emergency clinic; most will receive your dog and arrange aftercare.
- On vacation: A local vet can arrange cremation and ship or hold the ashes. Ashes travel far more easily than a body.
- Hit by a car: If safe, move your dog off the road with a blanket. Call the local emergency vet; some areas have animal control collection services.
- Moving abroad or across state lines: Cremation first is almost always simpler; see our locations pages for local context.
If you'd like pickup, cremation and return of the ashes arranged together, compare dog cremation services, use the cremation cost calculator for a price range, or tell us where your dog is.
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Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
When your dog died, who did you call first?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Would you send a favourite toy or blanket with your dog?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Where would you prefer your pet's final moments to happen?
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Questions people ask
Can I put my dead dog in my car?
Yes. It's legal to transport your own pet's body in your car to a vet, crematory or burial site. Wrap your dog in a blanket, place a waterproof sheet underneath, keep the car cool and drive calmly. Bring someone with you if you can.
How much does it cost to have a dead dog picked up?
Home pickup is often around $75 to $175, depending on distance, time of day and the dog's size. Night, weekend and holiday collections usually cost more, and some providers charge extra for a second staff member for heavy dogs. Pickup from a vet clinic is sometimes included.
How do I move a very heavy dog that has died?
Don't lift a giant breed alone. Slide a blanket underneath, then a board or tarp, and lift with at least two or three people, keeping your back straight. If there are stairs or no help nearby, ask the pickup provider to send two staff and a stretcher.
Should I put my dog in a plastic bag?
It's better not to. A blanket, sheet or the dog's own bed is kinder and what most families prefer. If you're worried about fluids, put a plastic sheet or puppy pad under the blanket rather than wrapping your dog in plastic, which also traps heat.
Can the vet collect my dog from home?
Some vets do, but most arrange collection through the crematory they work with. Ask your clinic whether they can arrange it, or call a crematory directly. In-home euthanasia vets usually take the dog with them after the goodbye.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Home removal of a deceased pet costs $125 at Family Pet Cremations (NC), plus $100 per extra staff member for pets over 50 lb. Family Pet Cremations – Services Price List, 2026.
- [2] Giant-breed dogs had a median adult bodyweight of 48.8 kg (about 108 lb), with a range up to 100 kg. O'Neill DG et al. Giant dog breeds under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, common disorders and mortality. Companion Animal Health and Genetics, 2026 (PMID 42351280), 2026.
- [3] A median-weight giant-breed dog (48.8 kg / 108 lb) would be expected to return about 1.71 kg (3.8 lb) of cremated remains, needing an urn of about 108 cubic inches. Our estimate: 48.8 kg x 3.5% x 2.2046 lb/kg; urn = 108 lb x 1 cu in/lb. How we calculate.
- [4] 64% of US owners rated a trash bag as an unacceptable container for a deceased pet; 66.1% rated a blanket/shroud acceptable. Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [5] The most common owner preference (26.1%) was for a deceased pet to stay at the vet hospital less than 24 hours before transport to the crematory or cemetery; a further 18.1% said no more than 1-2 days. Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [6] Rush 24-hour pet cremation typically adds $50–$150; standard turnaround is about 7 days. Memorials.com – Pet Cremation Cost Guide 2026, 2026.
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