Having yours and your pet's ashes at Dignity
We had the idea after hearing many of the people who were using our service express a wish to have their pet’s ashes scattered or buried alongside them when they die. Sadly, many owners are unaware that this is not currently possible due to deceased pets being classed differently to humans by the government.
However, there are several options to choose from. You have a choice of pre-paying for your entry or ensuring your estate has the necessary funds to cover the fees after you have died. Pre-paying reduces the cost and protects you from future price increases. You can also pre-pay for your pet’s ashes to be scattered at Dignity in the same way. For our full list of prices please click here.
Please note we are unable to scatter or inter ashes of a relative without a copy of the certificate of cremation given by the crematorium. In addition to this, we can only inter human ashes in the event the deceased’s pet is already resting within our grounds or they are being scattered/interred at the same time as their pet whose cremation was carried out at Dignity.
Please contact us on 01252 844572 or send us an email for more information on our pre-payment plan.
Ashes scattering options
Your ashes scattered in one of the shared natural areas around Dignity Pet Crematorium’s gardens.
Individual Markers are not permitted in Natural Areas. The ashes can be commemorated on a hardwood plaque mounted on a memorial post. Please see below for details of the optional hardwood marker. The cost includes the entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens and a ground maintenance fee for the shared area. When also having an individual cremation service for your pet please add the cremation fee to the entry fee below. Entry into Dignity’s grounds is subject to acceptance of our Terms & Conditions.
What’s Included:
- Entry into natural scatter area
- Grounds maintenance fee
Optional Extras:
- 6 x 4″ wooden marker on post
- Plaque in Remembrance Walkway
- Memorial license fee 5, 10, 15, 20 years
Optional Hardwood Marker
A 6 x 4” hardwood marker can be mounted onto one of the Oak Memorial Posts in the designated Natural Areas if you wish. The cost of the Marker is from £50 (plus a £25 fee for a 5 year Memorial Licence). Please visit the Hardwood Markers page for more information.
Please note that if you remove your marker earlier than the Memorial Licence period then we regret that we cannot refund all or part of your Memorial Licence Fee.
If you order a memorial at the time of organising your pet’s cremation the cost will be reduced to the following:
6 x 4″ wooden marker no image: £48
6 x 4″ wooden marker with image: £58
When more than one set of ashes are entering the gardens at the same time you can choose to have 1 marker for all the ashes if you prefer.
Alternatively approved flower seeds can be sown in Natural areas. As the ashes will be scattered within a shared area their exact location will not be known after scattering. You can create a separate memorial or tribute for use at home or in our remembrance walkway.
The cost includes:
- The entry fee for one set of ashes into the specified shared areas within our gardens
- A 5.5 x 4″ Slate Memorial marker (see image below) (with motif (FOC) or good quality photo (£25) lasered on to the marker along with wording of your choice)
- Both grounds maintenance fees and memorials rights for the shared area for a period of 5 years (this can be extended for an extra fee upon request).
What’s Included:
- Entry fee for one set of ashes into one of the formal areas within our gardens
- 6 x 4″ Slate Memorial
- Grounds maintenance fees
- Memorial rights for 5 years
Optional Extras:
- Extended memorial licence
The cost includes the entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens and a ground maintenance fee for the shared area. When also having an individual cremation service for your pet please add the cremation fee to the entry fee below. Entry into Dignity’s grounds is subject to acceptance of our Terms & Conditions.
Your ashes interred in our natural woodland.
The cost includes the entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens and a ground maintenance fee for the shared area. When also having an individual cremation service for your pet please add the cremation fee to the entry fee below. Entry into Dignity’s grounds is subject to acceptance of our Terms & Conditions.
What’s Included:
- Entry fee for one set of ashes into our natural woodland
- Husbandry of the woodland
Optional Extras:
- Memorial licence fee
Optional Markers
Please note that if you remove your marker earlier than the Memorial Licence period then we regret that we cannot refund all or part of your Memorial Licence Fee.
When ashes from several family members enter the Woodland at the same time then you can choose to have a communal marker for them. We suggest using the 12 x 9” Slate Memorial for family markers that include several names.
Our Natural Woodland Area
Your ashes scattered around one of the shared Memorial Benches or Bird Boxes in our gardens.
The cost includes:
- The entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens
- A 4 x 2” plaque affixed to the shared Memorial Bench or Bird Box of your choice for a period of 5 years (see images below)
- A bench/ bird box and ground maintenance fees for 5 years (subject to availability – these time periods can be extended for an extra fee).
What’s Included:
- Entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens
- 4 x 2″ Plaque
- Memorial rights for 5 years
Optional Extras:
- Extended memorial licence
When more than one set of ashes are scattered around the same bench/bird box at the same time then you can choose to have one plaque for them all if you prefer. If this is the case we will refund the cost of any additional markers that have already been included in the entry fees of the other ashes being scattered. Please note that if you remove your marker earlier than the Memorial Licence period then we regret that we cannot refund all or part of your Memorial Licence Fee.
The cost includes the entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens and a ground maintenance fee for the shared area. When also having an individual cremation service for your pet please add the cremation fee to the entry fee below. Entry into Dignity’s grounds is subject to acceptance of our Terms & Conditions.
Burying your ashes with your pets
Your ashes interred in a small circular flower bed (approximately 1 meter in diameter) with a 18 x 12” Slate memorial with motif (FOC) or good quality photo (£25) lasered on to the marker along with wording of your choice. The Bed is created exclusively for use by your family and includes memorial and maintenance fees for 20 years.
The cost includes:
- Exclusive rights to the bed for 20 years (this time period can be extended for an additional fee) and entry fees for up to 2 humans and 5 pets.
- The bed will be stocked with indigenous plants chosen by Dignity – alternative plants can be supplied by the family for an extra fee if preferred.
- The price also includes ground maintenance fee and memorial rights for 20 years from the date the bed is created as well as the cost of a polished metal urn as ashes must be placed into the ground in an airtight plastic bag within an approved container to enable them to be exhumed at a later date if required.
- A 18 x 12” Slate is also included in the cost.
What’s Included:
- Entry fee for ashes of up to 2 humans and 5 pets
- Polished metal urn/s
- 18 x 12″ Slate Memorial
- Indigenous plants
- Grounds maintenance fee
- Memorial rights for 20 years
Optional Extras:
- Extended memorial licence
If you would prefer, you can choose to have several smaller markers to the value of the 18 x 12” slate memorial included in the cost of the Family Flower Bed. Please contact us to discuss your wishes. Please note that if you remove your marker(s) earlier than the Memorial Licence period then we regret that we cannot refund all or part of your Memorial Licence Fee.
The cost includes the entry fee for one set of ashes into our gardens and a ground maintenance fee for the shared area. When also having an individual cremation service for your pet please add the cremation fee to the entry fee below. Entry into Dignity’s grounds is subject to acceptance of our Terms & Conditions.
Reserving a plot in our gardens is simple. Just contact us on 01252 844572 to book an appointment to visit us. When you are here you can walk in the gardens and choose a spot. If you decide to have your ashes at Dignity we will put a marker in place to reserve the spot for you.
We find many owners keep their pet’s ashes at home with them for many years. It is possible to come back to Dignity at any time after the event and reserve a spot in our gardens so that both your and your pet’s remains can rest together in our peaceful Gardens of Remembrance or Natural Woodland Area.
It is important to understand that unlike most human cemeteries clients or relatives need to make an appointment prior to visiting the gardens or woodland at Dignity. Visits must take place during normal business hours and appointments can be made by telephoning 01252 844572. Dignity Pet Crematorium reserves the right to refuse access to the Client at any time (for essential maintenance, inclement weather etc). Click here for our opening hours.
Our prices
| Option | Pet/Human | Cost if prepaid | Standard cost | +5 year licence fee | +10 year licence fee | +15 year licence fee | +20 year licence fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashes Scattering in Natural Areas** | Pet | £35 | £45 | add £25 | add £50 | add £75 | add £100 |
| Horse | £145 | £155 | add £25 | add £50 | add £75 | add £100 | |
| Human | £125 | £135 | add £25 | add £50 | add £75 | add £100 | |
| Ashes Scattering in Formal Areas* | Pet | £320 | £335 | Included | add £125 | add £250 | add £375 |
| Human | £420 | £435 | Included | add £125 | add £250 | add £375 | |
| Natural Woodland Interment** | Pet | £40 | £50 | add £25 | add £50 | add £75 | add £100 |
| Horse | £155 | £165 | add £25 | add £50 | add £75 | add £100 | |
| Human | £135 | £145 | add £25 | add £50 | add £75 | add £100 | |
| Shared Flower Bed* | Pet | £400 | £415 | Included | add £125 | add £250 | add £375 |
| Human | £480 | £495 | Included | add £125 | add £250 | add £375 | |
| Shared Memorial Bench/Bird Box* | Pet | £250 | £260 | Included | add £30 | add £60 | add £90 |
| Human | £350 | £360 | Included | add £30 | add £60 | add £90 | |
| Family Flower Bed* | 5 Pets & 2 Humans | £2245 | £2445 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*The overall cost of any of the above options will vary according to the memorial you choose and the length of the license.
**The Natural Scatter & Woodland Areas do not include a memorial as standard. The memorial licence fee only applies if an approved memorial is purchased.
NB The lower prepaid price only applies if the option is prepaid for in full. Owners can choose to pay smaller amounts over time using our prepayment plan but will pay the standard option cost when doing so.
Questions about these services
Please find our opening hours below.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 9:00AM – 5:30PM
Phones open: 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Wednesday: 9:00AM – 6:30PM
Phones open: 9:15AM – 4:30PM
Saturday: 9:00AM – 5:30PM
Phones open: 9:00AM – 4:30PM
Sunday & Bank Holidays: Emergency service only, please contact us for details
There are both legislative and practical reasons why human sites will not accept pet ashes. In the UK, unless a human cemetery or crematorium is separately licensed by the Environment Agency as a pet cemetery, they cannot allow the scattering or burial of pet ashes on their land. It is also illegal for a pet’s ashes to be placed in an owner’s coffin prior to burial or cremation.
Placing pet ashes in a human coffin can pose a practical problem. If the person being cremated had ashes from several of their pets put in their coffin prior to cremation, the human crematorium would be left with far more ashes than they were expecting. This is because pet ashes do not decrease in size if they are re-cremated. When you combine all the pet and human ashes that are left it could mean the crematorium wouldn’t have a casket big enough to fit them all in.
Please note the human ashes scattering service is only for clients of Dignity Pet Crematorium. This means that we can only accept ashes from a human if their pet was individually cremated at Dignity Pet Crematorium and their pet’s ashes are either already in Dignity’s Gardens or if they are entering the Gardens at the same time as their pet’s ashes. We regret we cannot accept human ashes if they are not accompanied by or joining their pet’s ashes. Human ashes must be accompanied by a certificate of cremation.
There are a variety of ways to memorialise the spot that you choose. It is better to consider this at the time of your reservation so that your wishes will be carried out in the way that you want.
All the markers and memorials on the right can be used at home or at Dignity pet crematorium. You can also opt for a Celebrant Service or Dove Release when scattering ashes at Dignity. Just click on the images to find out more about the choices available.
Dove Release
Dove release ceremonies have become increasingly popular at both weddings and funerals over the last few years. A flock of white doves can be released followed by a single white dove held by either the trained handler or a family member to represent their loved one’s spirit being set free.
Although we keep the Dove release company’s cost separate to our own we can coordinate their service to be present at the start of your pet’s individual cremation, when you scatter their ashes at Dignity or to mark an anniversary or birthday. Please visit https://occasiondoves.com for more information.
Sword Markers in various styles and sizes
Metal Sword Marker Garden Pet Memorial
Hardwood Sword Marker Garden Pet Memorial
Celebrant Pet Funeral Service
At Dignity Pet Crematorium we have always believed that we should be there to tailor our service to your needs. Whilst many families bring their pets to us and have their own private goodbyes in our Farewell Room, some people prefer a more structured religious or non-religious goodbye.
Over the years we have been touched by the many different ways people have given their pets a final farewell including Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist and other non-religious services that have taken place in our grounds.
We now work with several Religious and Non-Religious Celebrants to help you organise a pet funeral or remembrance service.
Our cremation services
We offer different cremation services and pre-cremation options to suit your needs during this difficult time.