The numbers indicate that many people prefer cremation over other options. Every year, people in the United States spend over $3 billion on cremation services. More than 18,000 people in the country work in this industry to help us say goodbye to loved ones who have passed on.

This includes beloved pets as well as human beings. Many people who are familiar with the pet cremation process believe that it is the best option for them. However, other people do not know very much about it and are unsure.

The pet cremation process can differ based on many factors, so understanding these factors can give you a better sense of what pet cremation is like. So what happens in the pet cremation process? Read on to learn all about pet cremation.

Choosing a Cremation Type

One of the things that will affect the pet cremation process the most is which kind of cremation you choose.

For example, one kind of pet cremation is private cremation. During this process, your pet will be cremated on its own. Once the process is complete, you can receive their ashes if you choose.

Another option is communal cremation. In this type of cremation, many different animals are cremated together.

That means that the ashes from many different animals are mixed together. As a result, if you choose a communal cremation, then you will not receive the ashes of your pet afterward.

Some people do not understand why anyone would choose communal cremation over private cremation. However, communal cremation is often more affordable, so it can be a good choice for people who cannot afford more expensive cremation processes.

The last kind of cremation is partitioned cremation. In a partitioned cremation, many animals are cremated together just like with communal cremation. However, partitions are set up between each animal.

These partitions help keep the ashes from each animal separate. Although these partitions are effective, little bits of ash can mix between different animals.

You can receive ashes from your pet after a partitioned cremation. However, it is up to you to decide if it is okay that small amounts of ash from other animals might be mixed in with the ashes of your pet.

Although partitioned cremation is usually not as affordable as communal cremation, it does tend to be less expensive than private cremation.

Available Options

The last thing to keep in mind is that not all pet crematoriums offer all of these options. Depending on the crematorium you choose, you may only have one or two of these options to choose between. That is one more way that your unique pet cremation process might differ from others.

Making a Keepsake

Many people choose to make a keepsake after the pet cremation process is complete. For example, some people make lockets, necklaces, or bracelets that remind them of their pets. Sometimes, these keepsakes are designed to hold a small amount of ash from your pet.

Other people feel that this is not necessary because they intend to receive the ashes of their pet in an urn. However, if you do want a special keepsake for your pet, then you will want to decide that in advance. You will need to ask for it in advance so that it will be ready at the time of your pet’s cremation.

On top of that, not all crematoriums create keepsakes for pets. If you decide that you want a keepsake, you may need to find another service to help you make it.

Choosing the Right Pet Crematorium

Once you have decided on these important parts of your pet cremation process, you will be ready to choose which crematorium to use. Knowing what kind of cremation service you are looking for will help you sort out any crematoriums that do not offer the services you need.

You might need to hunt around to find a crematorium that you are satisfied with. If so, it can help to look at reviews for crematoriums to help you find the right choice for you.

Different Rooms at the Crematorium

Once you have found the right crematorium for you, you need to visit it. So what can you expect to find at a pet crematorium?

First, a pet crematorium resembles a normal crematorium in most respects. At the crematorium building, you can expect to find normal office buildings where the crematorium takes care of the business side of things.

Generally, you will also find a memorial room. If your crematorium has a memorial room, this may be where they offer keepsakes. This is also where you will generally find urns, headstones, and similar items.

Somewhere in the building will also be the cremation room itself. Right outside the cremation room, there will often be a visiting or viewing room. Here, people can sometimes watch the cremation process as they say goodbye to their beloved pets.

Most pet crematoriums allow the option of watching during the cremation process. However, you should keep in mind that you may need to pay extra to watch the actual process occur.

Typical Crematorium Costs

It can be difficult to estimate the cost of pet cremation. For one thing, there is a huge difference between cat cremation and cremating a horse. There are a couple of factors you can keep in mind that will affect the cost of cremating your pet.

First, the larger your pet, the more expensive cremating it will tend to be. For this reason, cremating a horse is much more expensive than cremating a dog, and cremating a dog is often a little more expensive than cremating a cat.

In some cases, the more unusual your pet is, the more expensive the cremation process can be. For example, if you have a pet monkey, then the crematorium may not be as familiar with such pets. They may charge extra as a result.

Your cost will also be higher depending on which kind of cremation you choose and whether or not you ask for a keepsake or an urn. Depending on how you arrange the cremation, there might be additional costs for transporting the body of your pet. The cremation cost itself might be somewhere between $200 and $550 for a typical pet.

Typical Cremation Timelines

The cremation process itself takes less than a day. However, if you schedule a private cremation, you might need to wait for when the crematorium has an opening. If you ask for a communal cremation, you might need to wait until the previously scheduled cremation date arrives.

Openings for crematoriums are always changing, so the fastest way to find out how long it might take to cremate your pet is to call up a crematorium and ask them about their openings.

Transporting Your Pet

Some people are not able to transport the body of their pet to the crematorium. Others are able to but prefer not to do so. Many crematoriums offer transportation services or can recommend a company that does.

Details of the Cremation Process

When the actual cremation process begins, the body of your pet will first be placed in an incinerator. The incinerator will heat up to as hot as 2,000 degrees. Over the course of one or two hours, the body of your pet will turn to ashes and bones.

The bone tissue is greatly weakened by the incineration process, but the actual shape of the bones can remain despite the heat. Once the incineration process is complete, any remaining bones are pulverized into fine ash. Then, the ashes will be placed in an urn or whatever other container you have chosen and you can take the ashes home with you.

Understand the Details of the Pet Cremation Process

The better you understand the pet cremation process, the easier it will be for you to decide if cremation is the right option for your pet. Some people feel unsure about cremation until they learn more about it and appreciate what it can do for them. For some people, cremation is the best way to say goodbye to a beloved pet.

To learn more about where you can find quality pet cremation services, reach out and get in touch with us at any time!

 

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