What is Aquamation for Pets?

Written By Sydney Dahl

Losing a pet is never easy, and making cremation decisions for your pet can be incredibly difficult.

Aquamation provides an alternative to traditional cremation for pet parents that are looking for a more eco-friendly and gentle cremation option. In this post, we’ll explain aquamation for pets, its benefits, availability, and cost.

Aquamation: A Gentle and Eco-Friendly Process

Aquamation – also referred to as bio cremation or water cremation – is more like natural decomposition than any other method of disposition. The Aquamation process uses gentle water flow, temperature and alkalinity to accelerate our ecosystem’s natural method of breaking down and decomposing organic matter. A process that would naturally take months or years is reduced to just 20 hours. During that time, a combination of 95% warm water and 5% alkali gently rushes over the body.

At the end of the Aquamation process, your companion’s physical components have been returned to their natural elements, dispersed in water – with only the solid bone remaining, pathogen and disease free. In fact, viruses – and even chemicals such as cytotoxic drugs (e.g., chemotherapy drugs) – are broken down into basic nutrient elements, rendering them non-toxic.

The mineral bone ash is returned in an urn to those who request take home remains. The water byproduct, known as effluent, is not only benign, but also beneficial. Returned to the environment, effluent is shown to improve municipal water systems. The effluent may also be used as a natural, chemical free fertilizer.

Aquamation vs. Traditional (Flame) Cremation

Aquamation is a gentler and more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional flame cremation. Instead of exposing the pet’s body to high temperatures, aquamation uses a longer process of water and alkaline solutions. This results in a natural breakdown of tissues.

Compared to flame cremation, aquamation emits no greenhouse gases and consumes significantly less energy than flame cremation.

Aquamation has a lower environmental impact, as it does not release harmful gases or chemicals. The effluent byproduct of the process produced during aquamation is safe and sustainable, and often can be discharged directly into city wastewater.

Benefits of Aquamation for Pets

Aquamation offers two main benefits for pet owners:

  • It is an environmentally friendly option, as it avoids harmful emissions and produces a natural effluent byproduct that can be used as fertilizer.

  • The process is gentle, resembling natural decomposition and providing comfort to pet owners.

Compared to traditional cremation, aquamation uses less natural gas, has less carbon dioxide emissions, and uses less electricity.

What is the result after aquamation?

Aquamation results in bone fragments, processed into a coarse or fine powder, that can be placed in a special urn or keepsake box. The process of aquamation dissolves the body down to the whole skeleton, and those bone fragments are what you receive back. What you receive back may is similar to flame based cremated remains.

Availability of Aquamation for Pets

Aquamation is becoming more available at pet crematoriums and funeral homes nationwide, but it is not yet the default for most vets. Additionally, not all pet crematories offer aquamation services.

If you’re considering aquamation, first check with your vet to see if they work with or recommend an aquamation facility in your area. If your the default option from your vet is not aquamation, they may still work with you to arrange cremation through an aquamation facility-just ask.

You can also search online directories such as the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories or search “pet aquamation” in your area on Yelp or Google.

Cost of Aquamation for Pets

The cost of aquamation varies depending on the pet’s weight, size and location. On average, it ranges from $100 to $300 for small to medium-sized pets, while larger pets may cost $600 or more. Despite being more expensive than traditional cremation, many pet owners find the gentle and eco-friendly process worth the additional cost.

Summary

Aquamation offers pet owners a gentle and environmentally friendly option for saying goodbye to their beloved companions. With its benefits and increasing availability, aquamation is becoming a popular choice for pet cremation.

Though the loss of a pet is never easy, choosing a respectful and compassionate option like aquamation can bring some comfort during a difficult time.



References:

Sydney Dahl
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