Individual Pet Cremation - How Genuine Is A Pet Crematorium?
The primary query everone has about an individual pet cremation is "Will it just be my pet that is handled and will I get the correct ashes returned?" It is perfectly normal to be suspicious as everyone seems to have heard some dreadful story about the process. The question is particularly relevant due to the fact that pet crematoriums are only controlled as waste plants and the actual cremation part of the process is totally unregulated.
In the first instance, when the term individual cremation, or even just cremation, is used then it implies a process equivalent to a human cremation - one body at a time. That is what pet owners have a right to expect. The only group in the UK setting genuine standards for pet cremation is The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria (APPCC) and all their members perform individual cremations this way. If the pet crematorium you deal with is not a member you should enquire further from them about their procedures. Be advised that you must trust the pet crematorium to carry out those procedures correctly. At the end of the day you must be receiving the service you want and are paying for.
The following description outlines the correct procedure for performing an individual cremation.Your pet is carefully placed into a clean cremation chamber, normally with a solid hearth. A label is attached to the cremator with details of your pet and the time of the cremation is noted in a diary or on some other device. The label stays with your pet's remains through the entire system. The cremation continues until nothing is left but sterile bone fragments. Once they have cooled to an acceptable temperature they are drawn into a tray and all traces taken from the hearth by brushing it carefully. All remains must be removed before the next cremation starts. There will be a few tiny pieces of the hearth with the ashes but this cannot be avoided if you are to receive all your pet's ashes. The pet may be cremated on a tray since this gives some protection to the hearth from fluids being absorbed into the brickwork. However, there must only be the one pet in the chamber and the hearth always must be checked on completion for remains that may have fallen out. Cremation can be quite an explosive process and the remains may be scattered across the hearth.
The remains removed from the cremator consist of fragments of bone. These are processed through a cremulator which reduces them to a fine ash suitable for return or scattering. The cremulator must be carefully cleaned each time. The ashes are then packed into whichever casket or urn has been selected. The original label stays with the remains all the time and is carefully checked against the original cremation details.
Individual pet cremation is a term that is regularly used within the pet loss sector but it is a term that is largely corrupted. Many so called pet crematoriums will try to avoid being pinned down to the term individual by using other descriptions such as "return of ashes service", "cremation on numbered trays" or even "special" or "private" cremation. If you see this you should suspect that the pets are being cremated together. There may be some kind of separation but due to the explosive manner of cremation nobody could guarantee the remains would not be mixed. Alas, even if a cremation is called individual it may still be performed in this manner. If pet owners are happy with a system like this then all well and good but many people receive this type of service when they are expecting their pets to be individually cremated. This is not only incorrect but takes advantage of people when they are in a vulnerable state of mind
In general, veterinary staff have very little understanding of the correct procedures for the cremation of pets despite regularly promoting and selling pet cremations to their clients. The error they make is to believe all pet crematoriums are the same. There is a website aimed at veterinary professionals that is run by The APPCC. The site gives detailed information on the procedures for a pet cremation as well as information about legislation concerning pet crematoriums and the treatment of pets that have died. In particular it highlights a Pet Cremation Charter that correctly describes the cremation service to the pet owner without any misunderstanding. Until this Charter is adopted by veterinary practices throughout the country pet owners should be careful about the cremation services they choose.
About the Author
Stephen Mayles has been operating a genuine pet crematorium in Sussex for 25 years. He has worked extensively on improving standards within the pet loss sector through his work with The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries and Crematoria (APPCC). More information about individual pet cremation or the APPCC is available at =>
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