Pet Aftercare
Saying goodbye to your pet is never easy. There comes a time when every family is faced with the difficult choice about pet aftercare. Stillwaters Veterinary Care provides compassionate and professional services to your family as you go through the process of saying goodbye to your beloved pet.
We offer a choice that is gentler and greener than the traditional aftercare options and guarantee that your pet will be handled with the utmost care and compassion.
Learn more about Water-Based Cremation services >
Pet Loss & Grief Support
- Is it Time to Say Goodbye? A Guide For Considering a Difficult Decision for Your Pet by Timothy J. O'Brien, M.S.
- Pet Loss Grief Support Sessions - Schedule a virtual appointment with our trained pet loss grief support staff. Cost: $50/session
- Stillwaters Pet Loss & Memorialization Facebook Group - A safe place to share your memories and connect with others mourning the loss of their pet
- Pet Loss and Grief Resources - Pet loss and grief resources including books, books for children, associations, meetings, and helplines
- Memorialization Resources - Recommendations for remembering your pet with memorial items such as urns, photos frames, jewelry, tree plantings, and more
Burial Recommendations
Burial for your pet is up to your discretion and not a service we provide. Following are some recommendations for your consideration:
- Check with your local ordinances for the specific burial restrictions for your area.
- Be aware of any buried wires, pipes, or other underground structures. You can contact your local utility company if you need help finding a suitable area.
- Try to choose an area that does not have too many tree roots, large rocks, or may be a future building site
- Bury your beloved pet in something biodegradable such as their favorite blanket, some of your clothing, or a sheet or pillowcase
- Decorative urns or caskets can be purchased online or at a local crematorium. Any artificial materials like plastic can slow down the natural progression of becoming part of the earth but may be helpful to keep your pet temporarily in if immediate burial is not an option. (Ideally refrigeration, freezing, or other cool location is also recommended until burial.)
- We recommend a burial depth of 3 to 5 feet with hard packed earth, gravel or rocks overtop. Your pet will have toxic chemicals that can be deadly to other animals if disturbed.
- A headstone or other memorial item is a nice tribute to your pet and a reminder of where they are buried for the future.
