The importance of planning your pet’s cremation service
Thinking about life without your much-loved family member is daunting. As pet owners ourselves, we understand how overwhelming it can be to make arrangements for your pet when the time comes.
Where possible, we encourage all families to consider options for their pet’s aftercare services in advance. This could be at a time when your vet gently informs you that you may need to think about saying goodbye due to illness, or as our beloved pets start to grow old.
Thinking about how you would like to remember your companion can help you feel more prepared for the questions that need to be considered and allows you to involve close friends and family to decide on the perfect farewell for your friend in your own time.
Your pet’s farewell checklist
Decide between pet cremation and burial
Pet cremation is an economical alternative to burial. Individual Cremation is a popular choice if you would like your pet’s ashes to be returned to you in a casket, urn or keepsake. Find out more about our different cremation options here.
If you choose to bury your pet at home, you will need to consider local regulations, your property deed and other practicalities such as the depth of the water table, soil quality and whether you plan to move home in the future.
If you wish to have your companion buried in a special place, but not at your own home, you might want to consider our Rossendale Pet Cemetery. Rossendale offers a beautiful memorial garden nestled in the Ribble Valley with a dedicated pet cemetery.
Find out more about Rossendale
Decide between individual and communal cremation
If you choose individual cremation, your pet will be cremated separately, allowing you to have your pet’s ashes returned to you after the cremation. Costs vary depending on the size of your pet, your choice of casket or urn, or any other services such as memorial products. Individual cremation enables you to choose your pet’s final resting place: keeping their ashes at home, scattering or interring.
With communal cremation, your pet’s ashes are not returned to you. During the cremation service, multiple pets and animals are cremated together and their ashes are typically scattered in a memorial garden.
Choose any additional services or keepsakes
If you decide on Individual Cremation, you can choose how you would like your pet returned to you, and any keepsake items you would like in addition to your pet’s casket or urn.
You may wish to make a booking at one of our private farewell rooms to say a final goodbye to your pet before their cremation service.
Let your veterinary practice know what you decide
If you have already decided on your preferences, you may wish to inform your pet’s veterinary practice in advance and let them know you would like us to care for your companion when the time comes. We can work with your veterinary practice directly to carry out your wishes, or you can request to bring your pet to us directly.
If you have any questions about our services and the options we have available, please don’t hesitate to contact our aftercare advisors. We are here to help you arrange the exact service you would like for your pet and know how important it is for you to have peace of mind.
You or your family may find the experience of thinking about saying goodbye to your companion very difficult, grief can affect you in many ways, and it’s helpful to know you have support available if you should need it.
If you are feeling down, grieving for a pet, or preparing to face the loss of your life-long friend, Blue Cross Pet Bereavement Support Service (PBSS) provides a free and confidential service via phone, email or webchat. Visit our Pet Loss Grief Support page for more resources.
