What Happens At A Pet Cremation

At Patch & Purr, we know that no two pets are the same. Every precious animal has their own special personality. We aim to make your pet’s final moments as unique as they were.

We strive to deliver the best possible pet cremation service to meet your needs. Our friendly team will work alongside your family to build the perfect pet cremation to honour your loyal friend. If you’re worried about what to do before the cremation, what to bring on the day or how it will all work after, take a look at the below to guide you through this difficult day.

How to prepare for a pet cremation

✔ Inform the vet of your intentions

Bring a friend or family member You don’t need to go through these things alone. Our team members are always here for you, but you may want to bring along another friend or relative to hold your hand.

✔Prepare a few words to say

It may seem an impossible task to put into words the years of loyalty and friendship that your pet gave to you, but it’s always worth a shot. Putting pen to paper can be therapeutic in a time of grief, so writing a memorial is a great way to honour your furry friend. If you’re drawing a blank, why not take a look at our memorials and poems page for inspiration.

✔ Bring tissues

You may have not stopped crying since your pet died, or you may not have felt much. Either way, it’s important to bring some tissues as you never know when the tears might start flowing in those final moments.

✔Consider what to do with the ashes

At the end of the cremation, you will be given your pet’s ashes to take home. You may want to have a think ahead of time about how you wish to honour your pet, either by scattering their remains in a special place or by purchasing an ornamental urn.

If you have any queries or concerns ahead of the day, give us a call and we’d be happy to help.

What happens on the day

Bid your pet a final farewell in a safe and comfortable environment. At our state-of-the-art facility, you’ll get the chance to say goodbye at your own pace. Stay by your friend’s side until the very end from our dedicated viewing room.

Your pet will already be at our facility, as we will have picked them up from your home or vet clinic 3-5 days previous. On the day, all you need to bring is a few words to say, an idea of what you want to do after and a hand to hold. Don’t worry if you don’t have any of the above, we’ll be here to support you at every step of the journey.

At Patch & Purr, we promise full disclosure at every stage. You will be invited to say a final farewell in the viewing room. This comfortable area has a window into the crematory, so you can feel close to your precious pet until the very end. Many people find this transparency very comforting as they can rest easy knowing that their pet is treated with the respect they deserve.

Immediately after the cremation

After your pet is cremated, you will be given the choice of what to do with their ashes. Many dog owners choose to scatter their furry friend’s ashes on their favourite walking routes or in the garden next to a special engraved plaque. If your pet was more of an indoor friend, then why not keep their ashes in an ornamental urn so they can be forever by your side?

After the cremation, you may feel under pressure to move on. However, you should not rush the grieving process. It may take many weeks, months or even years to start feeling better following the loss of your beloved pet. In fact, you may never get over the loss of a pet – and that’s fine.

By cremating your pet, you can always visit the place you scattered their ashes, or keep their urn with a photo, so your furry friend is never forgotten.

For more guidance on those first days and week, take a look at our help and advice sections for after the funeral and dealing with grief.