Updated, July 23
5 minute read
written by a person, not a computer
Hello,
It’s unlikely you're here for fun, so I’m sorry you need this content. Once upon a time, I did too, and found no resources of any value, so I’m creating them for all of us who have lost our four legged family and need straight answers to some difficult questions.
In this post, our goal is to understand the basics of cremation. Cremation is the process in which the body of any animal is heated to 1400-1800 degrees for several hours in a cremation furnace. After that time, only small bone fragments and ashes are left. The ashes, also known as cremains, are not toxic, scientifically mostly carbon, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. About 1 cubic inch of cremains is created per pound of body weight. A standard soda can is about 22 cubic inches, so the cremains of a 22 pound animal would fill the can. A 60 lb dog would be about 3 cans worth.
Pets are cremated in two ways, either solo or “with others”. For solo, it is just your pet, so all the cremains returned to you will be from your loved one. “With others” has a flexible meaning. Sometimes just 2 animals, sometimes large groups depending on the sizes of the pets, and the size of the furnace. Some providers use furnace dividers, so in theory the ashes don’t mix. Without dividers, cremains may be pooled and shared, or sometimes just discarded. Be sure what you are paying for. The cremains are usually put into a bag, then the bag into an urn or simple box. Many places will sell you a much nicer urn at a premium.
The second portion of understanding cremation is the economics of the situation. A good portion of this blog is dedicated to the costs involved, since it is a common question, and prices vary dramatically. A crematorium is a business, they are providing a valuable service, they have expenses, and are making a profit.
Upfront costs to establish such a place include finding or building an industrial style location that houses a furnace (from $30-70K), or several of them that may be the size of an automobile. Keep in mind that some furnaces are large enough to fit an adult horse into. The location needs oversize gas lines, proper ventilation, fire suppression systems, safety systems, and a loading dock. Then, this industrial setup needs to look as lovely and comfortable as possible for grieving families, ideally like a living room.
Upfront hassles are present too. There are permits to obtain, official processes to navigate, and all the usual difficulties of starting a business. The process can take a year or more, and several hundred thousand dollars to just get the doors open.
Once established, ongoing costs are ever present. You might guess that a crematorium has a significant gas bill. In one day, they use as much gas as the average home does in a month. The fuel alone costs 15 to 20 cents per pound of body weight for a cremation, which explains why all places have a tiered price structure based around the weight of the animal.
Of course labor is involved. It takes several people to operate a crematorium, at least one as the relentlessly kind and patient face of the operation who speaks with grieving people all day. Behind the scenes, others pick up animals from veterinarians and residences mostly during “standard business hours”, but there are many exceptions. Standard business hours represent only 27% of the time in a week. Finally, someone operates the furnace, including loading and unloading, taking extreme care to be safe around a giant hot object, and ensuring the high level of organization needed to get each set of cremains to the correct family. Many of us wouldn’t want any of those 3 roles.
I explain this not as an industry advocate, but in the spirit of context. Most of this blog is about cremation costs, and understanding the basics of this business may help you appreciate your costs.
Written by Peter of Pawsitive Memorials. I'm sorry for your loss.
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