Tell us about the animal, and we'll come back with options that fit
Many states give livestock and horse owners only 24-72 hours[1] to dispose of a dead animal, so a clear first message saves real time. Here's what to send and what happens next.
- One short form, reply by email
- Options matched to size, species and rules
- No booking until you agree terms with a provider
Before you write
What to include so our first reply is useful
The fastest requests read like a handover note between shifts. We don't need a full medical history, just the facts that decide which providers can help. If you don't know something yet, say so; a rough weight is far more useful than a blank.
It also helps to say who else is involved. If a lab, a curator or a finance office needs to approve the route, a provider can shape the quote around that, for example by listing transport and cremation separately so each can go to the right budget line.
- Species and approximate weight. A 12 lb lemur and a 1,200 lb eland need entirely different providers.
- Location. City and state or country, plus whether the body is on your grounds, at a lab or at a vet hospital.
- Necropsy status. Planned, underway, finished, or not needed. Tell us which lab if you know.
- Any disease concern. Suspected avian influenza, chronic wasting disease, TB or anything your vet has flagged.
- What you want back. All ashes, a portion, none, or remains released to a collection.
- Access and equipment. Whether a vehicle can reach the animal, and whether you have a hoist or telehandler on site.
- One-off or ongoing. Whether this is a single case or you want to set up a standing arrangement.
If the death was today
What to do while you wait for our reply
We reply by email, which makes us a planning resource rather than an emergency line. If an animal has just died, your own vet and your cold storage come first. AZA Standard 2.5.3[2] calls for a dedicated storage area before and after necropsy, and that's a sensible standard even for a sanctuary that isn't accredited.
If disease is possible, call your state veterinarian before moving the body off site. With 15,542 detections[3] of avian influenza recorded in US wild birds since late 2021, a dead raptor or waterfowl in a rehab center is exactly the case where testing may be required first. Then send us the details and we'll look for providers who fit whatever route the authorities allow.
Timing questions come up in almost every request. Published ashes-return windows run from same-day express service to about four weeks, and by our estimate 3 to 14 days is a fair typical window for a straightforward case[4]; a large animal that needs a dedicated chamber can take longer. For a bird with suspected avian influenza, the EPA's guidance on carcass management during avian influenza outbreaks shows the routes regulators favor, and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center takes reports of wildlife die-offs. Our transport and logistics article covers the cold chain while you wait. Browsing the services page or your area on our locations pages beforehand can make your request more specific.
What happens next
What happens after you send your request
- We read your request and check capacity, distance, species experience and any disease or permit constraints.
- We reply by email with the options we found, how each tends to price the work and what to confirm before agreeing.
- You contact the provider or providers you prefer and agree terms, including chain-of-custody paperwork, directly with them.
- If nothing nearby fits, we'll tell you plainly and suggest alternatives such as a diagnostic lab route or a provider further away.
If you're setting up an ongoing arrangement rather than handling a single case, say so. We'll focus on weight bands, invoicing against purchase orders and after-hours terms. Our vendor questions for institutions list the terms worth pinning down.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Scope
What we can help with, and what belongs to someone else
We can help you find cremation, digestion, transport and memorial providers, explain how each route works, and suggest what to ask. We can point you to published rules, like the whole-carcass import bans[5] many states use for deer and elk from chronic wasting disease areas.
Rehabilitators often ask us about volume. A center that takes in hundreds of songbirds, squirrels and opossums a season has different needs from a zoo losing one giraffe a decade. Tell us your rough annual numbers and we'll look for providers who offer communal cremation for routine cases, individual cremation on request and a simple monthly invoice. The cost calculator gives you a sense of the per-animal range first.
We can't file permits, report diseases, give veterinary or legal advice, or promise that a provider has space on a given day. Those belong to your vet, your compliance team, the relevant agencies and the provider. If you're unsure where a question belongs, ask anyway and we'll point you in the right direction. Our about page explains how we work in more detail.
Your details
How we handle the information you send
We use the details in your request to research options and reply to you. We don't sell, rent or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. Some service vendors help us run the site and deliver email; our privacy policy in the footer names the categories.
You don't need to name the animal, your institution or the cause of death if you'd rather not. Species, weight and location are enough for a first answer. Institutions sometimes prefer to keep a public favorite's death private until they announce it, and we respect that. When you're ready to plan the announcement, our guide to staff and donor-facing remembrances may help.
If you'd like to see how often other institutions arrange a necropsy first, or how they mark the death of a public favorite, the live reader polls are open to anyone.
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.
For your largest animals, what's the hardest part of aftercare?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Which best describes where you work with animals?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
How quickly will you reply?
We reply by email and aim to be as prompt as we can, but we don't run an emergency line and can't promise a response time. If an animal has just died, contact your vet and secure cold storage first. A clear request with species, weight and location lets us reply with something useful sooner.
Can private keepers of exotic animals use this service?
Yes. If you keep a big cat, a large reptile, a primate or hoofstock legally, send the same details an institution would. Private keepers often face the hardest search, because most pet crematories are built around dogs and cats and can't take a large or unusual animal.
Do we need to know the exact weight?
No. An estimate is fine, and ranges help. Weight decides which chambers can take the animal and roughly what ash to expect, about 3-5% of body weight[6]. If the animal was weighed recently for veterinary care, use that; otherwise a keeper's estimate is a sound start.
Can you help with a death outside the US?
Often, yes. Rules change a lot by country. In the UK, for example, fallen ruminants that need BSE testing have strict collection windows of 24 h / 72 h[7]. Tell us the country and we'll look for providers who understand the local rules.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] State rules commonly require dead animals to be buried within 24 to 72 hours of death, especially when euthanized. Cornell Waste Management Institute & Penn State - Horse Mortality: Carcass Disposal Alternatives (2012), 2012.
- [2] AZA Standard 2.5.3 requires cadavers to be kept in a dedicated storage area before and after necropsy and remains to be disposed of under local and federal law. Association of Zoos and Aquariums - 2023 Accreditation Standards & Related Policies (Standard 2.5 Necropsy), as filed in Skagit County public record, 2023.
- [3] Wild bird surveillance recorded 15,542 H5Nx HPAI detections in at least 193 wild bird species between December 2021 and September 2025, including 8,073 in sick or dead birds. USDA APHIS CEAH - Status and Epidemiologic Analyses of HPAI-affected Poultry Flocks, September 30, 2025 Interim Report, 2025.
- [4] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
- [5] To slow chronic wasting disease (CWD), many states ban importing whole deer and elk carcasses from CWD areas; typically only deboned meat, quarters without spine or head, hides and cleaned skull plates may cross state lines. CWD Alliance (cwd-info.org) - Carcass Transportation Regulations in the United States and Canada, 2026.
- [6] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [7] In the UK, when fallen stock needs BSE testing, the collector must be contacted within 24 hours of death and the animal delivered to an approved sampling site within 72 hours. GOV.UK (Defra/APHA) - Fallen stock guidance, 2024.
Request aftercare options for your institution
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.