Very sorry to hear of your loss. As Bill says, this will be a milestone event in the lives of your kids, and they will always go back to, "Well, the house burned in Janary 2010...." Ours was spring 1957 when I was nine, with the house burning to the foundation as flood waters receded, and at 62 it is still that way for me. I suggest that you take time to explain things to them in simple terms, and that too will become engrained in their memories. It is sad to lose a pet, but the family is OK and you can get through the setback.