Aquamation for pets: how it works and what it costs

Aquamation is a water-based alternative to cremation. Instead of flame, it uses warm water and an alkaline solution to break the body down over several hours. What is left is bone, which is dried, processed into a pale ash and returned to you. The technical name is alkaline hydrolysis, and providers also call it water cremation.

For pets it typically costs about the same as flame cremation or somewhat more, and it is not offered everywhere. The only real price is a quote from a provider near you.

How aquamation works

1. Your pet is placed in a stainless steel chamber, often in an individual compartment.
2. The chamber is filled with water and a small proportion of alkali.
3. The water is heated and gently circulated. Some systems also use pressure. Over a period ranging from several hours to most of a day, depending on the equipment, the soft tissue breaks down into the liquid.
4. The bones remain, along with any metal implants, which are removed.
5. The bones are rinsed, dried and processed into a fine powder. This last step is the same as in flame cremation.
6. The liquid, which is water carrying salts, sugars and the building blocks of protein, goes to the wastewater system as local rules allow.

Providers often describe it as a faster version of what happens naturally after burial. It is not an acid bath, which is a common misunderstanding. An alkali is the chemical opposite of an acid.

The method is not new. It has been used for animal remains in veterinary and research settings for many years. What is newer is offering it to pet owners as an aftercare choice.

Aquamation vs cremation

In practical terms the two are close. With either one you choose between a communal and a private service, your vet or the provider handles transport, and you receive ashes in an urn or container if you asked for them back.

What you get back

You get back bone ash, as you do with flame cremation. In both methods the "ashes" are bone that has been processed to a powder.

Aquamation ash is typically paler and finer, and there is usually somewhat more of it. If you plan to use a particular urn, ask the provider what size they suggest for a pet of your pet's weight.

You can keep, bury or scatter the ash in the same ways as cremation ashes. Rules about scattering on public land or water vary, so check locally.

Two things to ask about in advance. Paw prints and fur clippings are taken before the process, so request them at the start. And many providers cannot include blankets, toys or collars in the chamber, because the process breaks down body tissue and not other materials.

Communal or private aquamation

The choice is the same as with cremation.

• Communal. Several pets are processed together and the ashes are not returned. The provider scatters or buries them. This is usually the lower-cost option.
• Private or individual. Your pet's remains are kept separate and the ashes are returned to you.

Many aquamation machines hold several pets in one cycle, each in its own compartment. So "private" may mean a separate compartment and not sole use of the machine. That is not a problem in itself, but providers use these words differently, so ask what theirs means and how each pet is identified from collection to return.

Is aquamation better for the environment?

It is commonly described as the lower-impact option, and the general reasons are sound. There is no flame, so no fuel is burned in the chamber and nothing leaves through a chimney. It is commonly reported to use less energy than flame cremation.

It is not impact-free. The process uses a real amount of water, it needs heat and electricity, and the liquid goes to wastewater treatment. How big the difference is depends on the equipment and on where the provider's energy comes from.

Treat specific percentages in marketing material with caution. If this is your main reason for choosing aquamation, ask the provider what their figures are based on.

What does aquamation cost?

Expect a price in the same range as flame cremation from a comparable provider, or somewhat higher. We do not list prices because they vary too much by region and provider to be useful. For how aftercare pricing is usually structured, see our guide to pet cremation costs and options.

These are the things that move the price:

• Your pet's weight. Most providers price in weight bands.
• Communal or private.
• Collection from your home or the clinic, and whether it is after hours.
• The urn and any keepsakes, such as a paw print.
• Whether you arrange it through your vet clinic or directly with the provider.

Ask for a written quote that lists everything. If your pet is insured, check the policy: some policies contribute toward end-of-life costs and many do not. Our page on pet insurance for older pets explains what to look for. If you are budgeting for the whole day, see how much it costs to put a dog down.

Is water cremation for pets available near me?

Possibly not. There are far fewer aquamation providers than pet crematories, and some areas have none within reach.

Whether it is permitted also varies by state and country. Rules for pets are separate from rules for people, so the fact that one is allowed where you live does not tell you about the other.

To find out what is available:

• Ask your vet clinic which aftercare providers they work with and whether any offer aquamation.
• Search for "pet aquamation" or "water cremation for pets" with the name of your area.
• Ask any provider you find to confirm that they are permitted to operate where they are based, and how far they travel to collect.

Questions to ask a provider

• Is this communal or private, and what exactly do you mean by private?
• How is my pet identified and tracked from collection to return?
• What is the total price for a pet of this weight, including collection and the container?
• How long until the ashes are returned? It is often a few days to a couple of weeks.
• Can you take a paw print or fur clipping first?
• Can anything go in with my pet?
• Do you collect from my home or my vet clinic, and at what hours?
• Can I visit the facility?

How to arrange aquamation through your vet

1. Tell your vet you want aquamation before the appointment, not on the day. Clinics usually work with one aftercare provider, and it may not offer aquamation.
2. If the clinic's provider does offer it, the clinic handles the paperwork and transport, and the ashes usually come back to the clinic for you to collect.
3. If it does not, arrange it yourself with an aquamation provider. They can normally collect your pet from the clinic or from your home. Let the clinic know who is coming.
4. Confirm communal or private, keepsakes and price in writing.

Deciding ahead helps, because choosing on the day is hard. Euthanasia itself is always performed by a veterinarian, and our step-by-step guide to what happens during pet euthanasia covers the appointment. If your pet has died at home, see what to do when your pet dies at home.

Is it better to cremate or bury a pet, or choose aquamation?

There is no best option. Aquamation and cremation both give you ashes you can keep and take with you if you move. Burial gives you a place to visit, but it depends on having land and on local law.

How you feel about the method matters too. Some people are more comfortable with water than flame, and some feel the reverse. Either is a fair reason to choose.

Whatever you choose, the weeks afterwards are hard. Our guide to coping with the loss of a pet may help.

This article is general educational information about pet aquamation, not veterinary, legal or financial advice. Availability, regulation, pricing and practice differ by provider and location, so confirm the details with the provider and with your veterinarian before you decide. Nothing here is a recommendation of any particular service.