Your pet will be alone in the cremation chamber. You will have your choice of methods by which your pet’s ashes will be delivered to you, just as in the Individual Cremation. As explained in the Individual Cremation section, in the case of the Individual Cremation, there are several pets in the cremation chamber. They are clearly compartmentalized and only your pet's ashes are returned to you. In the case of the Private cremation, your pet is alone in the entire chamber. It makes no difference regarding receiving your pet's ashes and only your pet's ashes whether you opt for the Individual or the Private cremation. Understandably, the Private cremation is quite a bit more expensive due to the fact that there is only one pet processed in a single cycle. However, some families feel strongly about this and prefer that there are no other pets in the chamber at the time of the cremation and we do offer this alternative if this is important to you.
Private Aquamation
Our Private Water Cremation is a premium, individual service for families who prefer an exclusive, fully dedicated process for their beloved companion. With this elevated option, your pet is the only one in the water cremation chamber at that time, ensuring a completely private and personal experience from beginning to end. This gentle, eco-friendly method offers a serene and respectful farewell, with your pet’s remains returned to you promptly and with exceptional dignity. For pet parents who want an added layer of exclusivity and intimacy, our Private Water Cremation provides meaningful peace of mind.
For the Private Cremation just as for the Individual Cremation, you may also request to have an imprint of your faithful companion in clay (see Paw Print Page)
Private traditional Fire Cremation
For those families who prefer to have their pet cremated in the traditional Fire Cremation, this option is available and you will have the opportunity to chose that option when you fill out your forms.
Private cremation with viewing:
Viewings are available whether with Aquamation or Fire cremation.
Aquamation with Viewing:
Once Honor Pet, our Cremation Partner, receives your pet at their facility, you will be sent a link with memorial options. You will have the opportunity to make arrangements with Honor Pet for a Viewing (or "Wake").
At Honor Pet, families are invited to spend meaningful time with their beloved companion before water cremation. Our peaceful memorial space offers a private setting to reflect, share memories, and say goodbye in a gentle, unhurried way. Comforting touches create an atmosphere of warmth and respect. Whether you choose quiet reflection or a small family gathering, this time allows you to honor your pet’s life with love and intention. Our team is here to support you with compassion throughout the entire process.
What is included:
Up to 90 minutes in our private comfort room
A prosecco toast
Build-a-bouquet station
Art therapy station with options to write a goodbye letter, paint with watercolors, or anything you would like
Note: due to safety restrictions, guests are not allowed to enter the cremation area. However they can observe their loved ones being placed into the cremation chamber from our comfort center, about 20' away. Most families do not want to observe this part, but it is an option.
Fire Cremation with Viewing
Our Fire Cremation partner, West Coast Memorial, offers Private Cremations with viewing by appointment only. If you choose to have a Fire Cremation with Viewing, you will need to make arrangements for your pet's cremation and viewing directly with West Coast. The euthanasia visit will be a Euthanasia Only. We will leave your pet's remains on your premises and you will need to make arrangements for the cremation and the viewing directly with West Coast (or the crematory of your choice).
Your pet will be alone in the cremation chamber and you will attend the cremation and you will view your pet going into the cremation chamber. If you wish to view your pet's cremation, it is possible to do so in most crematories. It is necessary to make arrangements ahead of time. Most crematories require 2-7 days notice for an appointment to accommodate families for a cremation viewing. If you wish to view your pet's cremation, it will be done as a Private cremation. Viewings are usually not available for Individual (partitioned) cremations in order to respect the privacy of families as there are other people’s pets in the same chamber.
Why viewings?
The reason some families prefer to view the cremation vary. Some families have had a bad experience in the past or heard horror stories regarding how cremations are performed and want to make sure personally that their pet's cremation will be done respectfully and that they can assure themselves that it truly is their pet's ashes they will receive. For some families, it is part of their journey in saying goodbye to their pet. Some people find it difficult to trust a facility they have not visited themselves and wish to see the whole process. Whatever the case may be, whether or not you want to view your pet's cremation or not, we trust our Cremation Partners fully to do everything respectfully, with dignity and ethically. So you can trust the entire process whether or not you are there. But if you wish to be there, our Cremation partners will welcome you and will make the whole experience as easy as possible for you and your family.
You may also request to have an imprint of your faithful companion in clay (see Paw Print page).
What is the difference between the Private and the Individual cremation?
There is a difference between the Private Cremation and the Individual Cremation. Most veterinary offices don't know the difference and don't offer the truly Private cremation and when one talks about getting their pet's ashes back, it is the Individual (also called Partitioned) cremation which will be done, and despite the fact that they sometimes call it Private. In BOTH cases, you will get your pet's ashes back and ONLY your pet's ashes, no one else's. The difference is that in the case of the Individual Cremation, there will be several pets in the cremation chamber but they will be clearly compartmentalized (partitioned) which allows for clear separation of the remains and you can be assured that you will get only your pet's remains back. In the case of Home Pet Euthanasia’s Aquamation facility, the separation is even more complete than in the case of flame based partitioned cremation as the pets are in completely separated stainless steel baskets.
In the case of the Private cremation, your pet will be alone in the entire cremation chamber. Of course, it is more effective cost wise and energy wise to run the cremation chamber for several pets once (Individual cremation) rather than to run it multiple times for each pet, so it makes the Individual cremation more affordable and you can still be assured that you would get only your pet's ashes back.
Some families feel strongly about having their baby cremated (or Aquamated) truly privately and this is why we do offer that option.