Your Pet’s Final Care

Love for a pet, like any other love, carries the risk of great pain when that relationship must end; however, as most of us know, it’s a love with great rewards. A sad fact of pet ownership is that, eventually, one must face the end of the pet’s life, or have to make life and death decisions when the pet is ill. Pre-planning for your pet’s passing provides you and your family with time to discuss how you would like to memorialize your beloved pet and to celebrate the life that you all shared together. Making sure that your pet is treated with the respect they deserve will be of the utmost importance at this time. Knowing your various options in advance will relieve much of the stress you may have and allow you the time you need to not only honor the life of your pet, but to ensure that they are receiving the care and treatment in death that was important to you for them in life. The guide below offers some basic information on some of the most common pet aftercare choices.

Individual Cremation:

Cremation is the most popular choice for pet owners. Some pet owners take comfort in keeping their pet's ashes, or cremains, as a remembrance. Cremation is the process of reducing the body of a pet by exposing it to intense heat. Through high heat and evaporation, the body is reduced to its basic mineral form.

Individual cremation can be done through companies like Cal Pet Crematory. Cal Pet offers pet cremation services for all sizes of dogs and cats, as well as birds and other small pets. Home pickup is available at a nominal charge, but you must call ahead to make an appointment and assure their availability. You can also bring in your pet in person, also by appointment.

The cremation is private, where only one pet is cremated at a time. Your pet’s remains are handled safely and respectfully; they are kept in clean refrigerated holding facilities and identified with an identification tag throughout the process. By appointment, you may choose to witness the cremation. Your pet’s remains are returned to you in a complimentary urn. Optionally, you may choose to have Cal Pet scatter the remains, or you may choose from their selection of urns and memorial stones.

Cal Pet Crematory is located in the San Fernando Valley and offer services throughout Los Angeles County and parts of Ventura County, CA. Services are by appointment only. Please call in advance if you wish to deliver your pet personally, or to schedule a private cremation.

Cal Pet Crematory Contact Information:

Office: Monday-Friday: 8AM-4PM

            Saturday: 8AM-11AM

            Sundays: CLOSED

Phone: (818) 983-2313

             (323) 875-0633

Address: Cal Pet Crematory

             9595 Glenoaks Blvd.

             PO Box 488

             Sun Valley, CA 91353-0488

Fax: (818) 771-1079

Website: CalPet.com

Shelter Cremation:

If you don’t want to keep the remains of your pet, you can take your pet to your local Humane Society or have them come and pick up your pet (as long as you call and schedule a pick-up in advance). The service fee is nominal.

The Pasadena Humane Society works with a company called D & D, which is a full service crematorium. The Humane Society will typically pick up a pet within a few hours of receiving a call, depending on the time of day and if there are calls that take priority over it. The Pasadena Humane Society will only service La Canada Flintridge, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Glendale, Pasadena and South Pasadena. If you are not in their service area, please call your local animal shelter for more information about the services that they offer.

Pasadena Humane Society Contact Information:

Office Hours:

            Monday: CLOSED

Tuesday-Friday: 9AM-6PM

Saturday: 9AM-5PM

Sunday: 11AM-5PM

Address: 361 S. Raymond Ave.

Pasadena, CA 91105   
Phone: (626) 792-7151   
Fax: (626) 792-3810
24 hour Emergency Service: (626) 792-7151 

Website: PasadenaHumane.org

Home Burial:

Many pet owners take comfort in burying their beloved companions. This option allows you and your family to “visit” your deceased pet, and some people feel a sense of closure after the burial. Although reprimanded by some for its possible illegality, you  may choose to bury your deceased pet in your backyard or somewhere else on your property but be sure you check with your local government beforehand to make sure that you are not violating any restrictions. 

Pet Cemetery Burial:

Another option of burial to allow you and your family to visit your pet is a pet cemetery burial. A pet cemetery gives grieving pet owners a peaceful, quiet place to lay their companions to rest. Pet cemeteries often offer pet caskets, headstones, or funeral services to further commemorate the life of a beloved pet.  When choosing a pet cemetery, it's a good idea to make sure that it is located on dedicated land – a pet cemetery on dedicated land will never be used for another purpose. There are various pet cemeteries to choose from in the Los Angeles area. Please contact them for more detailed information on their services.