Frequently asked questions

We would like to express our deepest condolences to you and your loved ones. We know how difficult it is to navigate the loss of a pet. We are here to help you figure out what to do next. Please make sure you have the emotional support you need. Friends and family are great resources during this difficult time. They can provide their love and support as you make the decisions about what to do with your pet's body. If you wish to have your pet cremated, then give us a call. Our staff has immense experience in the field of pet health. Many of our staff members have worked in veterinary hospitals their whole careers and will be able to guide you appropriately on what to do next. Our staff will help arrange a pick up or drop off of your pets body. Your pet will be handled with respect. Once the aquamation process is complete, your pets ash will be returned to you. We know having your pet pass at home can be very difficult. Please give us a call at 858-276-7397 - we're here for you.

Aquamation is a water-based pet cremation process also known as alkaline hydrolysis. Aquamation uses the peaceful flow of water, warm temperatures and alkali to mimic the natural decomposition of tissue that occurs after burial. In nature, this process can take years, but with the advancement in the aquamation technology, this process now takes less than 20 hours. This process involves a trained technician. The technician will combine warm water and a small amount of alkali to wash over the body. After 20 hours or less the components of your pets body will be returned to water as a nutrient rich effluent and only bone will remain. If desired, the mineral ash of the bone will be returned to you. The nutrient rich effluent will be returned to the environment. When compared to traditional fire based pet cremation, aquamation is considerably more eco-friendly. This process produces 1/10th the carbon dioxide that fire based cremation does, thus significantly reducing your carbon footprint. It also produces a nutrient rich effluent that has been shown to improve the municipality water system as well as the earths soil.

Aquamation has been around for over a century. It is utilized in many hospitals and research facilities. It is regarded for it's gentle nature and environmentally sustainable qualities.

We choose to use aquamation for pets because it is the cremation process that is the most gentle and environmentally friendly option for your pet after death. It significantly reduces emissions of carbon dioxide and greatly decreases the use of energy when compared to fire-based pet cremation.

We use a unique tracking number for each pet that is under our care. Tracking numbers are never re-used. From the moment your pet is in our possession they are assigned this tracking number. This tracking number is on a small metal disc, and it is recorded in a computer software-based system that tracks your pet through each step of the process; intake, aquamation, drying and packaging.

All communal ash is scattered in the pacific ocean, out of Oceanside by Oceans of love. If you are interested in participating in ash scattering at sea please let us know.

The decision to bury a pet or elect for cremation services is very personal. We suggest talking with family members before making any final decisions on aftercare. It is also important to consider if burying a pet is legal in your area. Burning a pet in the back yard can present some health risks to the water table and every city has different laws regarding the legality of pet burial. Please check your local zoning laws regarding whether or not you can bury your pet in your backyard. If you are considering cremation, it is important to note that aquamation is more ecologically friendly than any other process. Toxic or greenhouse gasses from fire-based cremation are not produced during aquamation. Also, this procedure gives you back 20% more ashes if you are looking forward to it.

An animal's weight determines the cost of water cremation here at Peaceful Waters Aquamation. Our private cremation service costs start at $220 and includes cremating your pet alone while returning the ashes to you. Communal cremation costs start at $155 and with this service, we scatter the ashes at sea with the help of Oceans of Love.