NAPFD Consumer Report - Cremation

On this Page

Common Terms
Questions to ask a veterinarian who offers to arrange after death care for your pet
Questions to ask a Pet Crematory when you are making arrangements directly
Services available from a Disposal Service
Services available from a Private Crematory/Cemetery

When faced with the death of a pet, many families are ill prepared to make the difficult decisions relating to the final laying to rest of their beloved companion. Although no one likes to think about the loss of a dear friend, death is an inevitable part of life. Choices which may be difficult now, will seem impossible at the time of loss.

Before you, the pet owner, can make the appropriate choices for your pet’s after death care, you must know what services are available and how to find a reputable business to provide those services. Please review this report and educate yourself on what services are available in your area. I recommend calling and asking questions before making decisions what services you are going to use. It is your responsibility to make these arrangements. Don’t let someone else make them for you.

Because of the incredible potential for fraud within the pet cremation/burial industry, we have prepared this report to assist you in selecting the services you feel most comfortable with. Listed below are the definitions of common Terms used within the industry along with a number of Questions you should ask anyone who offers to provide for your pet’s final care.

Common Terms:
Back to top

Cremation - the process whereby a pet's remains are consumed by intense heat, reducing the body to fine ash and bone fragments.

Cremains - the fine ash and bone fragments that remain after a pet has been cremated.

Crematory - the machine used to perform cremations.

Communal Cremation (Memorialization Cremation) - any time there is more than one pet in the cremation chamber at the same time but not to exceed ten pets.

Private Cremation - the cremation of one pet. Only one pet in the cremation chamber during the entire cremation cycle. No other pets are placed in the chamber until all the cremains from the previous pet are removed.

Questions to ask a veterinarian who offers to arrange after death care for your pet
Back to top

What services do you provide?
How long does it take to perform the actual cremation?
Do you personally do these cremations or is this contracted to a third party?
If third party, how are you affiliated with this company?
Where is this company located?
May I have a brochure explaining the services this company provides as well as a pricelist?
Do you charge a fee to arrange these services and what is that fee?
How long will it be until my pet is picked up and how many pets are picked up at one time?
How long will it take for me to receive my pet’s cremains back?
What will my pets cremated remains be returned in? (TYPE OF URN)
If I ask for a communal cremation, how many pets are cremated at one time? Where is the final disposition of my pet’s cremated remains? Will I have visitation rights?
Can you tell me how many communal cremations this company does per year?
Can you tell me how many private cremations (ONE ANIMAL AT A TIME ) this company does per year?
May I be present for my pet’s cremation? If not, why not?

Questions to ask a Pet Crematory when you are making arrangements directly
Back to top

What services do you provide?
How long will it take for you to pick up my pet after you have been notified it has died?
Do you offer 24-hour a day service?
May I have a brochure that explains your services as well as a pricelist?
How long does it take to do the actual cremation service?
May I be present for that service? If no, why not?
May I come and visit your facility before the services are needed?
Do you offer pre-planning?
What will my pet’s cremated remains be returned in? (TYPE OF URN)
Do you have other types of urns available?
What is your definition of a private cremation?
What is your definition of a communal cremation? Where will my pet’s cremains be interred? Do I have visitation rights?
How many private cremations do you do per year?
How many communal cremations do you do per year?

Services available from a Disposal Service
Back to top

Pet placed in freezer with many other pets.
Pickup made every two to four weeks.
Most disposal companies do private cremation multiple pets at the same time, lying side by side or in pans. When this is done cremains will co-mingle, which means you will be getting cremains from other pets as well as your own. The reason they do this is because of the tremendous volume of pets they do per day.
Cremation service normally takes two to four weeks or longer.
Cremains are returned from the cremation company to the person(s) who made arrangements for the service. You must pick up the cremains.
Normally these types of companies do hundreds to thousands of pets per month.
The reason why we are describing these services is so that you can make the appropriate decision for yourself as to the type of service you want for your pet. We have found that the general public is unaware of what normally happens to their pet when they let someone else make the decision. Normally a third party does not have the same feelings about your pet as you do. So YOU need to make the decision!

(If you would like a private cremation and the integrity of the service is important to you — I would not use a disposal service.)

Services available from a Private Crematory/Cemetery
Back to top

When the crematory/cemetery is called, they normally make arrangements for pickup of your pet that day.
You can confirm the service that you want with the person that will actually be doing the service so that if you have any questions they can answer them for you at that time.
You have the right to be present when this service is being performed. There is no reason why you should not be allowed to be present.
Private cremations can range anywhere from 1 to 3 1/2 hours to complete the service, depending on the weight of the animal.
If you do not want to be present for the cremation, you should be contacted within 48 hours that the service has been completed and the pet’s cremains are ready to be picked up or delivered back to your home.
Cremains should be placed in a dignified urn upon return to the client.
If you request a communal cremation, your pet’s cremated remains should be interred where you have visitation rights.

(Definition of a "private cremation" is: One pet in the cremation chamber at a time and no other pet is placed in the chamber until all of the previous pet’s cremains are removed.)