Who we are, and what we can and can't do for your institution
The US has about 1,000[1] pet crematories, but only a small share can take a bear, a zebra or a protected species with the records an institution needs. We exist to help you find those, honestly.
- Independent guide, not a crematory
- Research built on standards and primary sources
- You contract directly with the provider you choose
The short version
An independent guide for institutional and exotic animal aftercare
This site is a guide and request service. We write practical pages about what happens when a zoo, aquarium, sanctuary, rehabilitation center, university program or private keeper of large exotics loses an animal: necropsy, records, disease rules, moving very heavy bodies, cremation and the alternatives, and remembrance.
We are not a crematory. We don't own chambers, digesters, trucks, cold rooms or labs, and we don't employ pathologists. When you send us a request, we read it, look for providers who serve your area and can handle the species and size, and reply by email with options and how each one prices its work. You then deal directly with whichever provider you choose.
We started with a simple observation: most aftercare information online is written for dog and cat owners. An AZA-accredited institution operates under Standard 2.5.1[2] and often has a pathologist, a curator, a finance office and sometimes a permit officer involved in every death. That calls for different information, and we try to provide it.
Our readers
Who we write for, from keepers to compliance officers
Our readers are rarely one person. A keeper might find us first, then forward a page to a veterinarian, who shares it with an operations manager, who asks purchasing to set up a standing arrangement. We write so each of those people finds what they need: the practical steps, the rules, the costs and the human side.
- Zoos and aquariums, accredited or not, from small regional parks to large institutions
- Sanctuaries and rescues caring for retired performers, confiscated animals and long-lived residents
- Wildlife rehabilitators handling steady volumes of native species and occasional protected ones
- Universities and research programs with teaching animals or specimen needs
- Private keepers of big cats, large reptiles, primates or hoofstock where the law permits
Which best describes where you work with animals?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Step by step
How a request works, from your form to a provider's quote
- You tell us the basics: species, approximate weight, where the animal is, whether a necropsy is planned or done, and whether you want ashes back.
- We check fit: capacity for that size, experience with the species, distance, paperwork and whether disease rules narrow the options.
- We reply by email with the options we found, what each typically involves and what to ask them.
- You contact the provider directly and agree terms in writing. We aren't a party to that contract.
If a request involves a reportable disease, a protected species or a permit question, we'll say so and point you to the right authority. We don't give legal, veterinary or compliance advice. The contact page explains what to include so we can help quickly, and the questions to ask a provider help you check what we send.
Where our facts come from
How we research, and how to check our work
Every figure on this site links to its source. We lean on primary material wherever it exists: AZA accreditation standards, USDA and state animal health guidance, university extension publications, equipment specifications and peer-reviewed studies. You can see the full list on our research page.
Two examples show the kind of source we prefer. Our lifespan comparisons come from a peer-reviewed study of zoo and wild mammal longevity, and our ash-weight rules start from a study of 100 commercial cremations rather than from a seller's product page. Where a rule is British, we link the regulator directly, such as GOV.UK's guidance on fallen stock, and our live poll results are always shown as reader answers, never as research. If you'd like to see that research at work, the services overview explains each route, the ashes weight estimator shows our arithmetic openly, the locations pages keep rules tied to their place, and our necropsy and aftercare workflow follows one case from start to finish.
Where no published figure exists, we sometimes do the arithmetic ourselves and label it our estimate. For example, at a published burn rate of about 250 lb per hour, a 1,100 lb animal needs at least 4.4 hours[3] in the chamber before cool-down. That's a calculation from a manufacturer's specification, not a promise about any particular provider, and the footnote says so.
We're careful with geography. A UK rule is described as a UK rule, and a study of pet owners isn't stretched into a claim about zoo staff. Regulation is patchy: one directory counts only 9 states[4] in the US with pet-crematory licensing or consumer statutes, which is one reason we suggest getting everything in writing.
What you won't find here
Editorial standards we hold ourselves to
- No reviews, testimonials, star ratings or rankings of providers
- No invented case studies, staff names, office addresses or years in business
- No suggestion that this site cremates, transports or stores animals
- No stated prices without a source, and every range labelled as typical
- Poll results shown as live reader answers, never as research findings
Our reader polls are a good example. They show how keepers, vets and rehabilitators answer questions like how often a necropsy happens before aftercare, and you can see them on the live results page. They're interesting, but they're not a scientific survey, so we never quote them as facts.
An honest 'we don't know that' is more useful to a curator than a confident guess.
Why we bother
Why institutional aftercare deserves its own guide
Zoo animals often live longer than their wild counterparts; across more than 50 mammal species, zoo populations outlived wild ones in 84%[5] of cases. Long lives mean deep bonds with keepers and visitors, and the eventual loss matters to a lot of people.
Exotic and wild species also make up a real share of veterinary pathology work. At the University of Tokyo, exotic animals were 20.5%[6] of necropsy cases over 15 years. The science and the paperwork are serious, and so is the grief. We try to respect both. Start with the home page or browse our planning tools.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Which best describes where you work with animals?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How does your organization arrange aftercare today?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Who made (or will make) the aftercare decision in your household?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
Does sending a request commit us to anything?
No. A request is a question, not a booking, and our reply is a set of options for your team to consider. Any fees for cremation, transport, necropsy or memorial work are agreed directly between you and the provider you choose, in writing, before work starts.
Do you share our details with providers?
We use what you send to research options and reply to you. We don't sell, rent or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. Our privacy policy, linked in the site footer, explains which service vendors help us run the site and handle email.
Can you file permits or CITES paperwork for us?
No. Permits, CITES documents and reports to state or federal agencies belong to your compliance team, veterinarian or legal counsel. What we can do is look for providers who have handled protected species before and suggest questions about how they document remains.
How do you decide which providers to mention?
We look at whether a provider serves your area, can physically handle the species and weight, has experience with institutional paperwork and can explain its pricing clearly. We don't rank providers or publish ratings. You should always check a provider yourself before agreeing terms.
Why do some figures say 'our estimate'?
Because we calculated them. When a useful number isn't published, such as how long a burn takes for a given weight, we work it out from published inputs and label it clearly. The footnote shows the inputs so your team can check the arithmetic or redo it with your own numbers.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] There are about 1,000 pet crematories in the U.S., averaging about 1,500 cremations each per year (Foresight Companies, 2020). The Foresight Companies — Industry Spotlight: The Pet Business (2020), 2020.
- [2] AZA accreditation Standard 2.5.1 says deceased zoo animals should be necropsied to find the cause of death, with all deceased animals (or a sample from a mass mortality) given a gross necropsy supported by histopathology at veterinary discretion. Association of Zoos and Aquariums - 2023 Accreditation Standards & Related Policies (Standard 2.5 Necropsy), as filed in Skagit County public record, 2023.
- [3] At an average rate of 250 lb per hour, the burn phase for a 1,100 lb horse would take at least about 4.4 hours, not counting preheating and cool-down. Our estimate: 1,100 lb / 250 lb per hour. How we calculate.
- [4] Nine US states have pet-crematory-specific licensing or consumer statutes: California, New York, Texas, Arizona, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland and Illinois. FindPetCremations - Pet Cremation Laws & Regulations by State (2026), 2026.
- [5] Across more than 50 mammal species, zoo populations lived longer than wild populations in 84% of species. Tidiere M et al. Comparative analyses of longevity and senescence reveal variable survival benefits of living in zoos across mammals. Scientific Reports, 2016 (PMID 27819303), 2016.
- [6] At the University of Tokyo, exotic animals made up 20.5% of necropsy cases in 2006-2020, and the median age at death of necropsied dogs rose from 2 years (1903-1914) to 10 years. Nakayama H et al. Chronological transition of necropsy cases of animals in Tokyo, Japan. J Vet Med Sci, 2023 (PMID 36385043), 2023.
Ask us about an aftercare need
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.