FAQs

Aquamation is a well-established technology that has only recently been adapted to the pet industry. Peaceful Pets Aquamation is one of the first companies to offer this service in the country. It is a safe and widely used method of tissue disposition for many medical and educational facilities. The MAYO Research Clinic, Duke University, UCLA, and the U.S. Government are among those using the technology. It is also used in countries all over the world including Great Britain, Australia, and South Africa.

Whether cremation or Aquamation, this is a chief concern of all pet owners. We are pet owners and advocates ourselves, and the returning of the correct remains is something we take very seriously. Our check-out at the vet, or with the client, is done digitally. That information is automatically entered into our database. The pet is also given a color coded tag, which includes all the most important information. When the pet is checked into our facility, the information is double-checked. Before the Aquamation begins, the information is checked again. Pets are completely segregated by stainless steel partitions in the actual process, ensuring the integrity of the remains. The placement of the pet is diagrammed on a large white board. When removed from the process, the pet is again checked. The bones are processed individually and one pet at a time, again ensuring the integrity of the remains. Our system is guaranteed to make sure you get the proper remains.

Cremation, or burning, is an oxidative process, while Aquamation is a reductive process. In fact, Aquamation is essentially an accelerated version of what takes place in natural decomposition.

Cremation, according to the EPA, can cause the following pollutants to be released into the air: arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, formaldehyde, mercury and nickel. Crematories often have what are called secondary burners that burn off the toxic particles that they’ve created by the initial burning. While this can keep the toxins from being airborne, they then become toxic ash that requires its own disposal. The incinerators used in cremation burn a great deal of fossil fuel to maintain their temperatures. This spews large amounts of carbon monoxide into the air. In context, the amount of energy it takes to incinerate a cat, would heat your house for three days in -15 degree weather.

Besides the process being completely non-toxic, Aquamation only uses 1/20th of the energy and is 1/10th the carbon footprint when compared to cremation.

Alkaline hydrolysis is the most effective way to reliably destroy infectious viruses and toxins. Tissue digesting machinery is and has been used all over the world by leading hospitals and research laboratories. In fact, it was used in Britain to control Mad Cow disease.

There are no toxic emissions and no contribution to green house gasses with Aquamation.

The actual Aquamation process is slow and gentle: it occurs over a 20 hour period.

They are totally safe. In fact, they are 100% pathogen and disease free.

Human beings and our pets are 65% water. Aquamation reduces us to that elemental water.

Aquamation destroys all pathogens. For example, if your pet had chemotherapy, the Aquamation process would render any cytotoxic agents (chemotherapy drugs) harmless.

Yes, the metal will survive the process and can be returned to you if requested.

Aquamation is only an acceleration of what Mother Nature does. Consequently, only 100% organic items can be included in the actual process — special food treats, flowers etc. are all fine. We suggest that toys or pieces of a favorite blanket be placed in the urn. We are also happy to keep toys or blankets with your pet until the actual process. We will then return them to you.

The remaining water is not only benign, but beneficial. It can be used as a rich, organic fertilizer.

Yes. In fact, the alkalis only make up 5% of the solution. The remaining 95% is simply water. At the end of the 20 hour cycle, the alkali have been used up.

The nutrient rich liquid waste can be used in different ways. The local city is happy to have the water, since it is often beneficial to the community’s waste water plants. In many states the water is made available to farmers. It is being used with success on several farms and anecdotal evidence shows that the potential is enormous.

Alkaline hydrolysis, now known as Aquamation, is a new application of a well-established technology. It was actually patented in 1888 in Great Britain.

See the list of veterinarians that work with us on our Veterinarians Offering Aquamation page.

Here is a list of our rescue group partners.

We wash all blankets and beds, and then donate them to local animal shelters.