Prices

Aquamation is a method of final disposition that is available for both our human and pet loved ones.  The scientific name for this water-based process is alkaline hydrolysis.  It is the same process that occurs as part of nature’s course when a body is laid to rest in the soil.  A combination of gentle water flow, temperature, and alkalinity are used to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials including all bacteria, viruses, and prions.

We can accept almost any animal from pocket pets to animals weighing up to 400 pound. Contact us with questions about any specific animal and we will be happy to make arrangements and select a properly sized receptacle.

Aquamation is gentle not only on your pet, but also on the environment. The process yields 20-30% more remains to return to your family, giving you more options for scattering, memorializing your pet in cremation artwork, and sharing mementos with more members of your family. Aquamation uses 90% less energy than flame cremation, and produces no direct emissions, meaning it has a much smaller carbon footprint. The water from the process is an excellent soil amendment with vital nutrients for plant usage.

Alkaline hydrolysis completely breaks down organic materials including all bacteria, viruses, and prions. This is the same process used for sterile disposal of biohazardous materials, and the remaining solution is neutralized to a safe pH before discharge. The final output, or ‘effluent’, is an exceptional soil amendment with the benefit of nutrients vital for plants. At Tallgrass Pet Aquamation effluent is pumped into a tank and applied to local farmland.

After communal cremations the remains are scattered on private land allowing them to return to the earth in a natural manner.

Your pet is placed in a segregated cradle with compartments to ensure that remains will be returned to the correct owner. Potassium hydroxide is added, and the machine fills with water. The water is then heated and gently circulated throughout the equipment, allowing the solution to accelerate the natural decomposition process. Once the cycle is finished, what remains are inorganic minerals and a sterile mix of water and basic organic compounds such as salts, sugars, peptides, and amino acids. The solution is drained, and the remains are dried before being processed into the familiar powdery ‘ashes’ to be returned to the family.

The ash is soft, white mineral powder (phosphorous and calcium)— completely sterile, safe to handle, and suitable for scattering, burial, or display in an urn.