After passing care
There are so many ways we can honour the memory of our friendship. We strongly advise you to look at the wealth of choices before the time comes to say your goodbyes.
Most people opt for a cremation of their beloved pet after they have passed away. Home burials are possible, but most people in London do not have a garden they own in which they can hold a burial. If you do wish to bury your pet at home, please make sure you follow the UK Government rules.
If you wish to bury your pet at a pet cemetery, there are several around London that are able to help you. We can help you find the one that is right for you. We have visited the Resting Pets cemetery and can vouch for their dignified way in handling your pet and the beauty and piece of their cemetery.
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When you would like your companion to be cremated, there are various options for all phases of the process. Whether you'd like a home pick-up (subject to availability and day of the week) or a pick-up at our clinic in South East London, an individual or communal cremation, whether you want the ashes to be returned or scattered in their beautiful woodland. There is an option for every preference and budget.
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We work closely together with Dignity Pet Crematorium, in Hampshire. They are a family run business, working with very strong values with regards to patient, client and environmental care, which is why Autumn Animals felt it would be a great match. You can contact Dignity Pet Crematorium before your pet's passing to talk through the various options or have a look at their online catalogue. They offer beautiful resin paw prints, jewellery, urns and other memorials. You can ever arrange for your future ashes to be scattered in their woodland alongside your pet's!
If you have not yet communicated your wishes to the crematorium beforehand, one of their friendly telephone operators will contact you once your companion animal has arrived at their site. They will talk you through the various options and take your payment. Not until they have spoken to you, will they go forward with the cremation of your pet. So you never have to worry about a missed call and not receiving your fur clipping or paw print!
For every patient that we send to Dignity Pet Crematorium, they will donate money towards Autumn Animals' Pet Bereavement Support Groups.
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If you have chosen for your pet to be picked up from our clinic in South East London, we'll make sure they are comfortably placed in our special (and cosy) body bags, made by Anima Care in France. Most veterinary clinics use plastic bags, but we find the idea of putting them in one such a cold and undignified thought. Warm and cosy beds in life, warm and cosy beds after life.
When you are ready, one of our team members will transport your pet to our clinic with our purposefully designed e-cargo bike. They will be secured and safe in there and once the crematorium picks up their body, we'll make sure this is done in the most respectful way, double checking names and contact details so nothing can go wrong in the handing-over process.
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A week after your animal's passing, we will contact you again to check in on how you and the family are doing. If you need to talk, we are here. If after a few weeks you feel the grief is still sitting very heavy on your chest, you can always book a consult with our specialist pet grief therapist Naz. Or join one of our community grief groups.
Once per calendar year, we plant native trees to commemorate the pet's we have served. If you like, we can arrange a named plaque to be placed as a memorial.