Frequently asked questions

We are a registered veterinary practice and the vet that comes to you is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. We are a limited service provider, meaning we don’t provide any veterinary services other than home euthanasia.

Yes. Our home euthanasia is suitable for cats and dogs only, but we can offer our individual cremation service for any domestic pet.

Honestly, it’s not always clear. Everyone has different circumstances. We try to help you make the best decision for you and your pet.

Possibly not. We recommend you book a day or two in advance as we have a set number of appointments for home euthanasia. This is so we can give our clients and their pets the care and attention they deserve.

We are not an emergency service. Occasionally we are able to come out on the same day, but please do not rely on it. In an emergency you should call your usual vet practice for advice.

Absolutely. Please discuss this with us when you contact us. There are a few different ways we can reduce their stress, but we need to know in advance so we can discuss the options with you.

Yes. We don’t need you to do anything specific before the appointment. Some people give food and treats, others try to keep a normal routine.

We encourage people to stay with their pet. However, there is no requirement to do so and we understand it can be overwhelming for some people. Do what feels right for you at the appointment.

As long as your other pets are confident with new people in the house they are welcome to be present.

For many of us, when we lose a pet we are losing a member of our family. It’s ok to need some extra support. We highly recommend the Blue Cross Pet Loss Support team. Their volunteers have all experienced pet bereavement themselves and are trained to provide emotional support.

Individual cremation means that your pet will be handled and cremated on their own. It is a commitment to treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve.

We follow a strict code of practice that means your pet is only ever handled on their own and they are cremated by themselves. We have a tag with their name and reference on it that accompanies them through the cremation process. You are welcome to visit our facilities if you would like to see how we work.

We cremate every pet within two working days of them entering our care. We can delay this on request, and we can offer an attended service if you prefer. They remain at rest in their pet bed while awaiting cremation in a room kept at 4°C.

Absolutely. Soft toys are welcome to stay with your pet throughout. We can’t cremate pet blankets, but they can stay wrapped in their blanket while they are in our care prior to cremation.

You do not have to have your pet’s ashes back, and we will treat your pet with the same respect and dignity either way. We are not a pet cemetery and are therefore unable to scatter pet ashes. Ashes that remain with us have to be sent to landfill.

We understand that some people need a bit of time before collecting their pet’s ashes. We can hold ashes for a maximum of three months. Please note that if you ask us to hold onto your pet’s ashes, we ask that you settle your invoice within two weeks of their cremation.

It’s complicated. Pet crematoria have to meet some minimum hygiene and operating standards and be registered with the Animal Plant and Health Agency. Our registration is U1435570/INC. We also have to be licenced waste carriers. Our registration is CBDL392261. However, these enforce environmental standards rather than ensuring a high quality service. We follow the same codes of practice that you would expect of a human crematorium so you can be sure your pet will be handled with respect throughout.

Pet ashes, or bone ash, are the minerals from your pet’s skeleton that remain after cremation. They are ground into a coarse powder to allow them to be buried, scattered, or moved into a container for you to keep.

Pet microchips do not survive the cremation process and we do not need to remove them. You can let your microchip database company know, but you are not obliged to do so.

Mostly not. We have to remove cardiac pacemakers as the batteries can’t be cremated, but otherwise we separate implants from the ashes after. We usually dispose of any implants, but can return them if you like.