How to Choose a Pet Crematory You Can Trust

To choose a pet crematory you can trust, start with four questions: how your pet is identified and tracked, what “private” means at that crematory, whether you can see your pet or be present, and what the full price includes. The right crematory answers each one clearly, without rushing you.

Handing your pet’s care to someone else can be hard, whether you’re planning or making arrangements today. Knowing how to choose a pet crematory doesn’t take expertise. It takes a few good questions, and a crematory that cares for pets every day should expect them. Whether your pet is a cat, dog, rabbit, or horse, the questions are the same.

If you haven’t settled on pet cremation vs. burial yet, you can still ask a crematory these questions before you decide. We think a crematory’s answers tell you more than its website does. The questions in this guide are short enough to read aloud on a call, and each one matters. If you’re still looking for a crematory, our pet cremation directory lists vetted crematories that serve your area. Each one is reviewed by a real person on our team, and you can message them for free.

Key Takeaways

• Standards vary from one crematory to the next, and a good crematory will explain its own.
• Private, partitioned, and communal cremation mean different things. Private and partitioned cremation return ashes to you, and communal cremation doesn’t.
• A trustworthy crematory can explain exactly how it identifies and tracks your pet from the moment they leave your care through every step that follows.
• Some crematories let families see their pet before cremation or be there for it, so ask whether that’s possible.
• Membership in the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories (IAOPCC) isn’t the same as IAOPCC accreditation, and you can check a crematory’s membership yourself.

Why Pet Crematory Standards Vary

Standards vary because not every crematory is accredited, and crematories don’t all use the same names for their services. According to the AVMA, the IAOPCC offers the industry’s only accreditation program with published and recommended procedures for every step of the pet cremation process. A few clear questions show you how a crematory works.

Because names differ, knowing what private, partitioned, and communal mean before you call makes the answers easier to compare.

If you have a vet, they’re a good first person to ask. The same AVMA reporting calls veterinarians the primary source of information families have when choosing aftercare, and knowing your pet aftercare rights at veterinary clinics makes it easier to ask which crematory the clinic uses and what it offers.

Private, Partitioned, and Communal Pet Cremation

Private cremation means your pet is the only animal in the chamber, and you receive the ashes. Partitioned cremation means several pets are cremated at once but kept apart, and you still receive the ashes. Communal cremation means pets are cremated together, and no ashes are returned.

Those definitions follow the IAOPCC’s code of ethics, which describes partitioned cremation as using some form of separation between pets such as trays, refractory bricks, or space and says each pet’s location is documented. If you’re choosing now and it matters that the ashes hold only your pet, ask how the crematory keeps pets apart.

Names vary, too. You may hear “group” or “individual,” so ask what the crematory means by the name it uses. Families weigh communal vs private pet cremation for different reasons: some would rather not keep ashes at home, and others want them close.

Questions to Ask a Pet Crematory Before You Choose

Ask about tracking and ID, what each type of cremation means there, whether visits or viewing are possible, when the ashes come back, and what the all-in price includes, from pickup to the container. A good crematory answers all of it plainly and patiently.

Some people make these calls ahead of time. Some make them the same day, from home or from a car outside the vet’s. It helps to have the questions in front of you. You can read them straight from your phone:

• “How is [Pet’s name] identified from the moment they leave my care until the ashes come back to me? Does that ID come home with the ashes?”
• “What exactly do you mean by private cremation? Is [Pet’s name] the only animal in the chamber?”
• “If I choose partitioned cremation, how are the pets separated, and how do you document where [Pet’s name] was placed?”
• “Can I see [Pet’s name] before the cremation, or be there while it happens?”
• “How long until the ashes are ready, and will you deliver them, or do I pick them up?”
• “What’s the total price, including pickup, the container, and any print, keepsake, or certificate?”

Pay attention to how the answers feel, not just what they are. A good crematory can walk you through its tracking without hesitating, and put its definitions and prices in writing. If an answer leaves you uneasy, you can thank them and call someone else.

If you only have time for one question, ask the tracking question. It covers your pet’s care from start to finish. The same questions work if you’re comparing pet water cremation vs. fire cremation, because tracking, definitions, and price matter either way.

Does IAOPCC Membership or Accreditation Matter?

Both tell you something. Membership means a crematory belongs to the IAOPCC, which publishes a code of ethics for its members, and accreditation is a separate evaluation. You can look up membership yourself, and for accreditation, the simplest check is to ask the crematory directly.

Through the IAOPCC Accreditation Program, pet crematories are evaluated against a pool of more than 450 standards covering cremation care and how the crematory is run. Accredited facilities also set standards and procedures for pet identification and continual tracking throughout the cremation process, including transport to and from the vet’s office, according to the IAOPCC’s executive director.

To confirm membership, check the IAOPCC’s online directory to see whether a crematory is a current member in good standing, or call the association at 1-800-952-5541. A crematory’s own website may not be current, so the directory is the surest check.

Not every crematory belongs to the IAOPCC, and membership is only one sign of a careful crematory. If a crematory isn’t a member, the questions in this guide still tell you what you need to know.

Seeing Your Pet or Being There for the Cremation

Some crematories let families spend time with their pet before cremation, and some let you be there while it happens. Families differ on whether they want to; if you do, ask early, since it may need to be scheduled.

The IAOPCC’s code of ethics notes that private cremation may include viewing of the cremation by the client, so if being there during the cremation matters to you, ask about private cremation.

IAOPCC guidelines for vets also describe an open-door policy with full transparency of operations as something to look for, so you can ask whether a crematory welcomes visits.

You can also ask whether the crematory can help with one of the physical keepsakes you can make before cremation, such as a print (paw, nose, or hoof), a clipping of fur or feathers, or a clay impression.

Signs a Crematory May Not Be the Right Fit

A crematory may not be the right fit if it can’t explain how it identifies your pet, won’t define private cremation, won’t give you a full price, or pushes you to decide quickly. Any one of these is a reason to ask more questions or call another crematory.

Notice these when you call or visit:

• Answers about how your pet is identified and tracked stay vague.
• The crematory uses the word “private” but won’t say what it means there.
• You can’t get a full price, or new fees come up after you’ve agreed.
• Someone pushes you to decide on the spot or to add products you didn’t ask about.
• Staff won’t explain where and how your pet will be cared for.

The IAOPCC’s code of ethics says members won’t use any sales approach that conceals, evades, or mis-states a material fact, which is a good bar for any crematory, member or not.

If something feels off, you can pause and look at other crematories in our directory of pet aftercare providers, then call whichever one feels right.

What Happens During Pet Cremation

A careful crematory confirms your pet’s identity first, then cremation takes place, usually in 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size of the pet. With private cremation, it typically takes 1-2 weeks for your pet’s ashes to be returned.

Ashes may come back in a sealed urn or one that opens. If you’re thinking about where to scatter pet ashes, ask the crematory whether the urn opens.

When you call, ask whether the ashes will come back to your home or to a vet’s office, and whether anything else will be returned with them, like an ID tag or a certificate. Not every crematory can care for a horse or other large animal, so ask first.

What Pet Cremation Costs

Communal cremation is the least expensive, usually running between $50 and $200 depending on the size of the pet, while private cremation can run anywhere from $150 to $450, according to PetMD’s 2022 figures. Ask for one price that covers everything.

Cost factors, per CareCredit, include the type of cremation, the type of animal, and your pet’s size and weight, plus transportation and add-ons like urns and other memorial items. For horses and livestock, PetMD notes they would have to be specially transported to a facility that can accommodate larger animals, which adds transport fees on top of the cremation itself.

Where a crematory offers partitioned cremation, ask how its price compares with private and communal. A private price may not include an urn, so ask what the ashes come home in. You can choose an urn later, when you’re ready, or not at all.

Arranging Cremation Through Your Vet or on Your Own

You can let your vet arrange cremation or contact a crematory yourself. Going through your vet means fewer calls, and arranging it yourself means talking directly with the crematory. Either way, the same questions apply, and pickup and transport can change the cost.

When you don’t bring your pet to the crematory yourself, CareCredit notes you may have to pay a fee for transportation of your pet from the vet’s office, though some vets have arrangements with crematories that help offset that cost. If you’re arranging it yourself, ask whether the crematory offers pickup from home or only from clinics.

How to Choose a Pet Crematory When Your Vet Arranges Cremation

Ask your vet which crematory they use, which types of cremation it offers, and how your pet will get there. You can also ask the crematory these questions yourself, or ask your vet to pass them along. If you’d prefer a different crematory, ask your vet whether they can work with it.

How to Choose a Pet Crematory and What Comes After

Learning how to choose a pet crematory mostly means knowing what to ask. Keep the questions on your phone and ask them of any crematory you call. Then check IAOPCC membership (or ask about accreditation, if it matters to you), and notice how you’re treated when you call.

Before you agree, confirm a few answers: the crematory’s definition of the service, the full price, and, if the ashes are coming back, the expected return date and whether an ID tag comes with them. Having those answers in hand means fewer surprises later.

If the ashes come home, some families keep them in an urn, some scatter them, and some start with one of the keepsake and memorial ideas in our hub on pet aftercare and memorials and decide on the rest whenever they’re ready.

On this topic

Keep reading

• How to Find Pet Cremation Services Near Me →
• Pet Cremation vs Burial: How to Choose With Care →
• Communal vs Private Pet Cremation: Which Is Right? →
• How to Find a Pet Cemetery Near Me →