Goat, pig and alpaca aftercare in Burbank, California
A 150 lb goat or a pot-bellied pig won't fit the plans most pet crematories are built around. This guide explains your real options, from private cremation to farm-gate collection, and what each one costs.
- What to do in the first few hours
- Disease reporting, explained plainly
- Keepsakes: fleece, feathers, halter
Burbank, California
Where farm species go after a death near Burbank
Burbank is one of the few cities in Los Angeles County where horses live in backyards: the Rancho Equestrian District, between Griffith Park and the Los Angeles River, is zoned for horse-keeping, with trails and a bridge that lets riders cross into the park. When a horse dies on a narrow Rancho lot, access for a truck with a winch can be tight, so describe the side gate, the driveway and the stall position when you ask.
Heat and fire are the two seasonal pressures for Burbank horse owners. On a hot day, rig a shade cloth over a horse that has died, spread a tarp across it, lead its stablemates to the far end of the barn, and press for a same-day pickup. During red-flag winds, the Rancho's evacuation plans for live horses come first, and a provider can come once it is safe.
If nobody in Burbank takes your species at its weight, look to a larger centre such as Los Angeles or to providers serving Los Angeles. Equine crematories often take donkeys, llamas and big pigs, and some charge by the pound, which can work out fairly for a mid-size animal. Ask whether they'll meet you halfway or share a collection run with another owner in your area.
Burbank is home to about 102,988 people, the 67th-largest of the 307 California communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Burbank are based about 11 miles away in Los Angeles, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
For a second opinion on price, Glendale (5 miles), La Cañada Flintridge (7 miles) and West Hollywood (7 miles) are close enough that their providers cover Burbank routinely. Two written quotes tell you more than any price list.
70.5%[1]
The NFDA projected California's cremation rate at 70.5% for 2024.
$600-$1,000[2]
Cremating a 1,000-pound horse was reported to cost about $600-$1,000, depending on location and the price of propane.
3-5% of body weight[3]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
The published sources behind those figures are Embrace Pet Insurance and Extension Horses (eXtension national Cooperative Extension).
How California thinks about cremation
With cremation chosen for about 70.5%[1] of people in California, local families tend to expect it for their animals too. On a smallholding, that expectation meets livestock law: the options for a goat, sheep or pig are set by rules written for farms, not for pets. Cremation fits comfortably inside those rules almost everywhere, which is one more reason it's the common choice here.
The California figure comes from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It describes people, not pets, so read it as a sign of local attitudes rather than a pet statistic.
Weather, bloat and frozen ground in Burbank
Burbank summers are hot, with August highs averaging around 88°F. That shortens the time you have. The rumen of a goat, sheep or alpaca keeps fermenting after death, and in heat the body can bloat within hours. Move your animal into deep shade or a cool barn, lay it on its side on straw or a tarp, and cover it loosely against flies. Ask for same-day collection.
Hot weather in Burbank also changes the case for burial. Many places set a time limit after death (US state rules for livestock commonly allow 24-72 hours[4], and other countries set their own), and heat makes the shorter end the realistic one. Digging a deep grave by machine on a 88°F afternoon is hard work. Many keepers find cremation or collection easier to arrange quickly in summer.
Where the money goes: cremation, collection, urn
Weight drives the price, and farm species cover an enormous range: a bantam hen weighs a couple of pounds, a mature kunekune can top 200. Private cremation for pets over 90 lb is listed at about $350 to $450[5], and heavier animals are usually quoted individually. As a yardstick for anything very large, horse cremation works out to roughly $0.80/lb[6].
Rather than repeat the price table on every city page, we keep one for California: California costs. What each service includes is on the services page.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Rules worth knowing in California
The rules for a dead goat, sheep, pig or backyard bird usually come from livestock and animal-health law, not from the pet rules most people have heard of. That can close options a dog owner takes for granted. The general pet notes for California below are a starting point; for farm species, also check your state or national guidance on dead livestock before you bury or compost.
To find your county or city office in California, start with the official California local government directory.
Home burial and scattering are governed at the California level first; our California rules summary has the detail. Then check whether Burbank or your HOA adds anything.
A practical checklist for smallholders in Burbank
- Say goodbye in your own way. Even when the farm is busy, you can find a few unhurried minutes in the paddock or barn.
- Keep the body shaded, covered and away from dogs and scavengers while you make calls.
- Find a provider that takes your species at its weight. Your vet will know local options, or we can send you local options.
- Choose private, communal or collection, and ask for written confirmation of which one you've booked.
- Decide how the animal gets there. Farm collection costs more; delivering by trailer or pickup yourself can save a lot.
- Plan where the ashes will go. You don't have to decide now. Many keepers wait for a season or anniversary before scattering.
Ways to remember a farm companion
Horse owners in the Rancho often have deep ties to the neighbourhood's riding culture, and marking a horse's life matters to the whole street. If a solo cremation for an animal that big is out of reach, families keep the nameplate from the stall, a horseshoe, a braided tail keepsake or a photo of the horse on the Griffith Park trails. Ask the crew for time to gather what you want first.
try the free planning tools, look through our guides and the blog, Compare every option on our services page, or see what other families chose in the poll results. Close to Burbank we also cover San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose and San Diego; the full list for California and for the United States is a click away.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
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What was (or would be) hardest about the practical side?
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How do you think of the animal you've lost, or are about to lose?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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Free tools to help you plan
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Livestock mortality planner
Plan disposal capacity and costs for farm losses, from one animal to a herd.
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Questions people ask
Does the Burbank climate change what I should do first?
Only the timing. In August, with highs near 88°F, cool the body and book collection the same day. Winters here are mild enough that burial or scattering is possible in any month.
How do California attitudes to cremation compare?
NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) puts the California human cremation rate at about 70.5%[1]. We show it on the Burbank page because pet aftercare choices tend to track it: where cremation is normal for people, communal and private pet cremation are both easy to find.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Burbank?
The closest communities we cover are Glendale (about 5 miles), La Cañada Flintridge (about 7 miles) and West Hollywood (about 7 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Burbank too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Where are the providers that serve Burbank actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Los Angeles, about 11 miles away. That is normal for a city this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Burbank and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
Is a donkey treated like a horse or like livestock for burial?
It varies. Many rules group donkeys with horses, and in England equines are the notable exception to the ban on burying farm animals. Elsewhere, donkeys may fall under general livestock rules with depth and distance requirements. A standard donkey is also heavy enough to need an equine crematory. Check the rules for your area before deciding.
Is it normal to lose goats or sheep every year?
Sadly, yes. The USDA counted about 500,000 head[8] of adult goats and kids dying in the US in 2015, and sheep producers lost 6.8% of their flocks in 2019[9]. Losses come with keeping stock, which is why many smallholders plan aftercare early. Our livestock mortality planner helps you think it through.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected California's cremation rate at 70.5% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [2] Cremating a 1,000-pound horse was reported to cost about $600-$1,000, depending on location and the price of propane. Extension Horses (eXtension national Cooperative Extension) - Horse Disposal Options, 2019, 2019.
- [3] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [4] State rules commonly require dead animals to be buried within 24 to 72 hours of death, especially when euthanized. Cornell Waste Management Institute & Penn State - Horse Mortality: Carcass Disposal Alternatives (2012), 2012.
- [5] CareCredit lists US communal cremation at $150-$200 and private at $350-$450 for pets over 90 lb. CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does Pet Cremation Cost? (Sept 2023), 2023.
- [6] Midpoint horse cremation cost works out to about $0.80 per pound of body weight, versus about $0.14 per pound for rendering pickup and $0.23 per pound for on-farm composting. Our estimate: cremation $800 / 1,000 lb; rendering $137.50 / 1,000 lb; composting $275 / 1,200 lb. How we calculate.
- [7] Composting a 1,400 lb dairy cow would need roughly 14-16.8 cubic yards of cover material. Our estimate: 1.4 x (10 to 12 cu yd per 1,000 lb). How we calculate.
- [8] About 500,000 U.S. adult goats and kids died in 2015, equal to 9.8% of the adult goat inventory and 19.4% of kids born; losses were valued at $69.6 million. USDA APHIS NAHMS - Goat and Kid Predator and Nonpredator Death Loss in the United States, 2015, 2015.
- [9] In 2019, 6.8% of U.S. sheep inventory and 12.0% of the lamb crop were lost to death; predators caused 32.6% of sheep losses and 40.1% of lamb losses. USDA APHIS NAHMS - Death Loss Trends in the U.S. Sheep Industry: 1994-2019 (Sheep Death Loss 2020, published June 2022), 2019.
Find who takes farm species near you
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