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Why Traditional Cremation?

Make an Educated Decision

You have some choices when it comes to making your pets final arrangements. Cremation is a highly regulated process for both pets and humans alike.  For centuries it has been recognized as an extremely humane way to care for the deceased.  Please read below to learn about your options before you make a final decision.  As always, feel free to contact us anytime with any questions or concerns that you may have about this difficult decision.

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Traditional Pet Cremation

The two most common types of cremations for pets are private or communal cremation. In a communal cremation, your pet is cremated along with other animals. Because there are several animals, it’s not possible to get your pet’s ashes back.

In a private ceremony, your pet is cremated alone, so you are able to get the ashes afterward.

The cremation process follows these basic steps:

  • The animal’s remains are incinerated using high heat. The amount of time it takes depends on the size of the animal.
  • Large pieces of bone that did not incinerate are ground into a fine dust resembling ash
  • For animals in a private cremation, the cremains are then placed in their storage urn, box, or other enclosed container. Which, are then used to inter your pet. 
  • The process is highly regulated for both pets a humans to produce only a small amount on carbon gases.

Pet Burial

It is common when our pets die to think about burying them in the yard or at a public pet cemetery. However, these options are not always practical. If you live in a climate with very cold winters, you may have to wait months for the ground to thaw enough to dig.

Also, if you don’t dig far enough down, you run the risk of having other animals digging up the remains, which can be traumatic for your family. Also, If you move to a new house, what becomes of your beloved pet’s grave?

If you live in a town that has a public pet cemetery, you can certainly go that route. This option is often very expensive and like your backyard is a permanent resting place that can not be taken with you. If you’d prefer to have a memorial that is just for your pet, cremation may be the way to go.

Non-Traditional Aquamation - "Water" Cremation

Despite false claims “water” cremation is not as gentle as described by the company’s that offer this service.  These new “water” cremation companies can be misleading and untruthful about many aspects of the process.  Below are a few important points to understand when considering using this method.

  • “Water” cremation isn’t like putting a pet into a jacuzzi. A jacuzzi doesn’t heat up acid to 400º for 20 hours.
  • “Water” cremation uses toxic materials and would add nitrates into ground water supply, which is not a green solution.  They cannot dispose of the waste into the sewer system because of the toxins that they use. Water cremation waste has to be transported and then treated at a waste treatment plant.
  • “Water” cremation is not a good source for fertilizer either.  There is no such thing as sterilized fertilizer.  Water cremation companies are lying about this aspect of the process. 
  • “Water” cremation requires a person to wear a respiratory system when dealing with the waste because of the unpleasant toxic smells that are given off.
  • “Water” cremation” does not cost less than fire cremation.  Long Island Pet Cremation will always offer the lowest price available for a fire cremation. Don’t pay for “water” cremation.
  • “Water” cremation does not leave less of a carbon imprint than fire cremation. Water cremation actually uses more energy than fire. Water cremation heats at 400º for 20 hours vs fire cremation at 1600º  for 1hr. Fire cremation has 0.03 emissions which gives off minimal carbon dioxide and vapor. Both of which are safe for the planet. Water cremation requires travel to a waste treatment plant which uses gas to get there and at the plant. There is also generator power, which ultimately uses a lot more energy and emissions than a fire cremation.
  • “Water” cremation does not take away 100% pathogens. Water cremation bones have to be dried out before being processed leaving pathogens behind.
  • The reason you get back more bone fragments and whiter fragments, is because the acid only eats away what it’s capable of getting into.
  • “Water” cremation is also NOT performed with a single pet in an individual tank. They put many other pets together in a pressurized liquid-acid filled tank. For 20 hours, all of those animals with all of their body matter are floating together. Leaving the bone floating in its so called “compartments” within the tank. Is this the process you would want for your beloved pet?
  • “Water” cremation is not regulated like fire cremation is in New York State.  This is not a more gentle or greener type of cremation. This is an unregulated business that has no laws as of today in New York State.  New York is working on laws to govern or rid this type of so called cremation. We do NOT provide “Water” Cremations.