You have shared a life with your beloved pet and saying goodbye is just so hard. Navigating through your options for your pets care after they have passed can be confusing. Luckily, there are people out there who will listen to your wishes and provide a service that your darling deserves.
Here is an outline of what to expect from an individual pet cremation:
Cost- The cost of an individual pet cremation will depend on the size of your pet, the urn/casket selection and the inclusions in the service. Most service providers will include collection of your pet from your home or clinic, an urn or vessel for ashes, a certificate including your pets paw print and lock of hair and return of your pets ashes home to you (or to your clinic) in the service cost. Some veterinary clinics have administration costs that are added to the service fee. Contact your veterinary clinic or your local reputable pet crematorium to enquire about costs and inclusions.
Contact- Your pet’s individual cremation provider should contact you to ensure all of your wishes are met before their service goes ahead. Some veterinary clinics prefer to handle communication and if this is the case, they will convey wishes on your behalf. Your service provider will be able to go through the process and your options with you over the phone or by email if you prefer.
Options- You should have options for a memorial card, your pets paw print and lock of hair, urn/casket choice, and specialty memorial products. The pet crematorium should have a website where you can view options and the ability to see the products in person before purchasing if you wish.
Timeframes- A reputable provider will collect your pet either the same day of their passing or the next morning if your pet passes in the evening or within a couple of days from your vet clinic and have their ashes ready to return home to you (or your clinic) within a week. Wait times for some specialty urns or jewellery, certificate designs or family decisions may increase this however you should receive regular communication from your provider if this is the case.
Facility- It is likely that your pets individual cremation provider will be in your local region. A reputable company will not transfer your pet anywhere else until they are ready to return home to you, giving you peace of mind that you know where they are at all times. The company you use should be transparent and allow you to view the facility where your pets service will occur if you wish to do so.
Service: A reputable business will provide your pet with a 100% individual cremation service where the entirety of their ashes are returned home to you. Your pet will be cremated by themselves and it is only their ashes that you will receive. The quantity of your pets ashes will depend on how big or small they are, how old or young, boy or girl, breed and weight. Your service provider will be able to give you indications on what to expect if you enquire. Urn/casket size will be relative to the size of your pet.