The death of a pet is always a very sad subject, but I know that it is something pet owners have to face eventually as unfortunate as it may be. I've faced a few tough deaths, and I always have buried them in the backyard in a special place. Even more sadly, however, we have moved since the last pet death and I've had to leave my dear ones behind. I do like the idea of having a pet cremated but I am not sure if it would help ease the loss to have that done or just make me sadder whenever I think about it. I know the post was quite a while ago now, but I really love the thought of cremation done the way MariaPamela said, with some mementos and a poem. I'd cry like a baby, but be happy and appreciative in the end. I don't think there are any services where I live that do something like that, though.
My animals now are still young, with my cat around 2 and my dog around 4. I don't even want to think about what I will do when that time comes at this point. I still think burial is the best option for me, but I will definitely be looking more into the pet cremation services on into the future.
... Ah, man. Now talking about this has me feeling pretty sad. I'm going to go give my dog a whole ton of pets and snuggles to cheer myself up!