There is very little transparency in the pet cremation industry. The questions below aren't meant to tell you what's right or wrong (to each their own) but to provide you with the questions necessary to avoid any surprises.
1) Is the cremation done on-site or is it done by a 3rd party off-site?
2) Will my pets ashes/cremains be ready within 24-48 hours?
Based on the size of the pet, the actual cremation process only takes at most a few hours. At Caring Paws, cremation is always done the same day and based upon when the process begins, you may be able to pick the ashes/cremains up the same day. Otherwise, you can pick the ashes/cremains up the following day between 9-4pm OR you can take your time. There is no rush.
3) Is my pet cremated 100% by itself or are there other animals in the chamber with it at the same time?
There are huuuuge differences between "Communal", "Individual/Separate", and "100% Private" Cremation.
As the name implies, "100% Private" means only 1 pet is cremated at a time in the crematory chamber.
"Individual or Separated" Cremation means more than one pet is cremated together in chamber and separated by either physical space, a tray, or a container. Because cremation requires a great deal of energy, co-mingling of a pet's ashes/cremains is extremely likely with any cremation that isn't 100% private.
4) If cremation isn't on-site and by you, how can you ensure the process is done with care and dignity?
While disturbing, the majority of pets to be cremated in the Twin Cities are bagged up and placed in freezers together until the cremation provider picks up the pets - which can be hours, days, or weeks. I’ve heard stories of freezers haphazardly filled to the brim with dozens of pets and arranged in ways that are unimaginable.
Once the pets arrive at the cremation facility, they wait until the facility has enough pets to fully fill the chamber for a communal / individual cremation as the cost of offering 100% private, one-pet-at-a-time cremation is too expensive for large operations.
Finally, the cremains are returned to the clinic for pick-up.
Our services are extremely different from the vast majority of local cremation providers - including the providers your clinic most likely uses.
We only offer 100% Private Cremation - meaning we never have multiple pets in the cremation chamber. Others that offer cremation services usually contract an off-site, 3rd party that only offer “separate” or “individual” cremation - meaning multiple pets are cremated together in the chamber and are only separated by physical space, containers, or trays.
We cremate on-site, same-day, and only offer 100% Private Cremation - resulting in cremation being completed within hours rather than days or weeks and you don’t need to worry about getting another pet’s mixed in with your's. Pets are never frozen or put in bags and the day's work isn't finished until every pet on-site is cremated.
Our service is dignified and transparent and for the curious, we offer tours of our facility and owners can even watch their pet be placed in the crematorium and wait for the cremains.
No. When pets (or people) are cremated, what's left behind is technically bone fragments and not ashes.
After cremation, the bone fragments are milled into smaller pieces which resemble ashes. So, while you're technically receiving cremains (cremated remains), most people call them ashes.
The consistency can range from course sand to a fine dust and depends on equipment used as well as the personal preference of the crematory operator. The color of the cremains range anywhere from a pearly white to dark, dusty gray. The difference in color depends on bone density, body-to-bone ratio, and temperature of the cremation chamber.
If you don't work directly with a crematorium offering 100% Private Cremation, your pet is cremated with others and the possibility of co-mingling of cremains is extremely high.
Since we only cremate one pet at a time, you don’t have to worry about co-mingling. In addition, every pet is given an identification tag that stays with them during the entire process and we keep impeccable record keeping from start to finish.
$210 (no urn) or $235 (with urn): Cremation of dogs, cats or rabbits.
$135 (no urn) or $160 (with urn): Cremation of smaller pets (birds, guinea pigs, small reptiles, hamsters, etc).
Our Urns are handmade exclusively for Caring Paws from Rosewood and measure 5" x 7".
Additional fees apply if you need your pet picked up from home or if you need us to deliver the cremains. We pickup from clinics within 30 miles of Minneapolis, MN 55418 for free. We can provide you with a transporation quote if picking up from your home.
It depends on where you're at in the process.
1) If your pet has already died, and you're ready to schedule cremation, complete the short intake form linked below and give us a call.
2) If you're in need of euthanasia services, we can connect you with one of the veterinarians that can provide the service either at home or at our facility. Complete the short intake form linked below.
3) If euthanasia services are scheduled, we can start preparing for your pet's cremation. Complete the short intake form below and give us a call.
Click HERE to Complete the Intake Form and then give us a call at 612-568-1097.
We have a couple of options:
1) We can pick your pet up from any clinic or private residence with your authorization. Pickup within 30 miles of Minneapolis, MN 55418 from a clinic is free. You can learn more about our transportation services HERE.
2) You can bring your pet directly to our facility. Please call us (612-568-1097) before bringing your pet to Caring Paws so we can expect your arrival
We have partnered with local veterinarians that provide euthanasia services either at your home or at our facility. The first step is to complete the short intake form HERE. Once the form is submitted, we will be in touch with additional information.
Whether death occurs naturally, accidentally, or by euthanasia, we can help. Complete the short intake form HERE. Once the form is submitted, we will be in touch.
You have two options:
1. Complete the short intake form HERE or call 612-568-1097, leave us a message, and we’ll get back to you in the morning.
Your pet will be fine staying home overnight until we open in the morning. We suggest placing your pet in a cooler area in your home and on top of a towel, blanket, or their bed in case of any post-mortem natural bladder or bowel movements.
2. If having your deceased pet at home overnight is too painful, we offer 24/7 transportation and cremation services. Service calls outside of normal hours incur an additional $95 fee. Call 612-568-1097 and follow the instructions to be connected with our 24/7 on-call manager.
The length of cremations varies slightly from animal from animal but roughly takes 3 hours. We always complete the cremation proces the same day and based upon when the process begins, you may even be able to pick the ashes/cremains up the same day. Otherwise, you can take your time coming back, you can come back the next day between 9-4pm (call first), or we can even deliver the cremains to you for a small fee.
Yes. While we work a couple of local veterinarians that provide euthanasia services at our facility or at your home we can also work with your veterinarian. The next step is to complete the short intake form HERE. After the form is submitted, we will be in touch.
There is no charge when picking up pets from clinics within 30 miles of miles of Minneapolis, and we will notify you once your pet has arrived safely at our facility.
You can even bring your pet to us directly from your clinic. Just give us a call at 612-568-1097 with an estimated time of arrival.
Yes. We require a phone call (612-568-1097) so we can expect your arrival.