Your beloved pet has just passed. It’s six am and you’re on-line trying to find someone to help as soon as possible with your pet’s cremation. Dozens of ads pop up. Who do you call and how do you make the right decisions in such an emotional state?

How to Choose the Right Pet Cremation Service?

Pet cremation in San Diego is big business and the marketing is targeted towards the consumer. But when you add in grief and shock, it adds a whole other layer to it.

Good to know. Just because a company comes up first in a Google search and says it is #1 or voted the best in its field, means nothing. These ads are written by the company to entice you to click and buy.

Who Are They? Some pet cremation companies might say they are a small business when in reality they are a corporation with a monopoly on the services in your city or state. Others might post impressive pictures of a fleet of cars and a large staff when in reality it might just be one person contracting the work out of their home as of last week, with a flair for photoshop.

Websites get built in hours and illusions are created in minutes, but when it comes to your beloved four legged family member – are you willing to take a chance with the final part of their journey without doing your homework first?

Your Homework

Fire Cremation: Traditional – it’s what most people are familiar with, however Planet Earth does not benefit. Fire cremation is toxic to Planet Earth.

Aquamation: Water, green or aqua cremation is a gentle, non-toxic process that gives back twenty percent more cremains which are whiter and brighter, like stardust. It is a wonderful legacy for your pet to leave behind and Planet Earth won’t disagree.

The Website: How does it feel? Does it resonate with you? Is it warm and personalized? Is it clinical and cold?

The First Call: Does the person who answered the phone have empathy? Are they addressing your concerns in a non-rushed manner? How soon will they get to you and will they bring respect and dignity to the process?

The Quote: Get three quotes from three different companies. This will take some additional time but it could save you a lot of money.

The Reviews: Read the Yelp and Google reviews prior to booking the appointment. This step could save you some heartache.

The Referrals: Call your local veterinarian and ask them who they recommend or post something on social media. People are so good in a crisis situation and are happy to share their experience.

The Cremation Package: What is included in your package?

The Urn: What is the standard urn? Do you want to upgrade? What is that cost? Can you decide at a later date?

The Ashes Back: When will the ashes be ready? How will you get them back? Where is the company located? Do they offer a home delivery service? What is the cost? How do you know it will be your pet’s ashes that get returned? It’s best not to mail ashes unless you are now out of state i.e. irreplaceable.

The Sliding Scale of Costs:

  • The pick up of your deceased pet for cremation could range anywhere from $75 – $200 depending up the time of day and the weight.
  • Communal/Group (nothing back) $150 – $350 (depending upon the weight)
  • Private/Individual (ashes back) $250 – $500 (depending upon the weight)

If you receive a quote for much more than the above – as an average, keep shopping.