一万元与一炉灰：一只流浪猫之死背后的追问

A few days ago, several kittens died at the school. One died of an undetermined cause, while another died of acute kidney failure. Someone found Glucobay—a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes that may be toxic to cats—near the feeding station. The person who discovered this decided to look for an organization capable of performing a necropsy on the kittens to help prevent similar incidents in the future.I also participated in the search for a facility and suggested that we should look for an official agency capable of providing a detailed and legally binding report. However, no official agency accepts requests for private autopsies, and private facilities were unable to provide specific details in their reports for this 10,000 RMB service. Therefore, we ultimately decided to have the kittens cremated.

Since I’ve always been interested in the animal cremation process and have done some research on the topic, I decided to go along to see firsthand how the government-run animal cremation service actually operates.

Most of the procedures were consistent with what I had learned previously, but by asking questions and experiencing the entire process firsthand, I gained more specific details. City service centers collect animal remains and transport them twice a week for centralized cremation. Individual cremation (600 RMB) includes the ashes and two short videos, which indicates that some officials are beginning to offer personalized services.
We chose group cremation for our kitten , which cost 30 RMB.

This experience was both upsetting and educational.I gained an understanding of the relevant laws and procedural steps involved. At the same time, however, I also saw the limitations of the current options —private services are expensive and lack formal oversight, while official services only work with organizations rather than individuals , making it difficult for ordinary pet owners to access diagnostic services. This has further strengthened my conviction that we need to provide more accessible avenues for individuals who want to understand the cause of their pet’s death, and that it is crucial to promote clearer regulations and services in the field of animal welfare.

At the same time, this experience has strengthened my belief that when an animal dies under mysterious circumstances, its owner or caregiver should have a clearer path to finding answers—rather than being shuffled back and forth between various agencies, as happened in this case.First, official testing and diagnostic channels should be made accessible to the general public to some extent, or at the very least, a transparent and practical process for accepting requests from the public should be established, rather than limiting access solely to designated agencies. Second, the pricing of private services and the standardization of report issuance need to be subject to regulation and guidance, so that people of varying economic means are not forced to make a difficult choice between exorbitant costs and “letting the matter drop” when faced with the death of their animal.Furthermore, animal welfare regulations should be further clarified to specify the procedures individuals can follow to preserve evidence, request a necropsy, and obtain legally binding expert explanations in cases involving public health or animal protection—such as suspected poisoning or unexplained deaths. Only when these regulations, services, and public awareness advance in tandem will animal welfare cease to be merely an abstract concept and instead provide some support and the possibility of change in the face of real-life tragedies.

Finally, I hope all the stray cats stay safe and sound～💗

So, when a pet passes away, how do you usually choose to handle its remains?

• Submit to an official agency for innocuous treatment (such as cremation)
• Find a suitable spot to dig a hole and bury it
• Wrap it up and throw it in the household trash bin
• I haven't experienced this yet, but I will carefully consider how to handle it.

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