Where we treat your pet like family.

You should make an appointment to bring your pet directly to our funeral home during normal business hours. (We do not offer walk-in service so please call or make an appointment online) There is no charge for owner drop-off during our regular office hours.   *Note - Our  office hours are M-F  10:30am-5:00pm. 

If your pet passes away at your veterinarian’s hospital, simply let them know you have chosen Bay Area Mortuary Pet Services for your pet’s aftercare needs.  Please contact us to make an appointment to bring your pet to our office 408-998-2202.

Our return times vary based on the number of pets we've taken in, however, it is typically about 10 - 12 business days. For a small fee, the process can be "rushed".   

Aquamation is a clean, more gentle alternative to cremation. It uses water to return your pet back to nature (the process of hydrolysis), since pets and humans are already made up of 65% water. This is the same process that occurs naturally when a pet is buried, only this is an accelerated, sterile process. Two of the primary ways a body decomposes when buried are interactions with alkali and moisture in the soil (which begins the alkaline hydrolysis process).

Aquamation is a natural process in which an animal returns to nature by being placed in a gentle stream of flowing water.  A combination of gentle water flow, temperature, and alkalinity is used to accelerate the natural course of time.  At the end of the process, the body has been returned to its natural form in water.  Similar to cremation, the only solid remains are the mineral ash of the bones. The ash is a light sage or white color because it retains more minerals, is clean, and without carbon discoloration. The ashes are finer, more pure, and you receive approximately 20-30% more ashes back than from standard flame-based cremation. The ashes are sterile and are able to be kept as a memento or spread where you would like. The high nutrient mineral content makes it ideal to plant with a memorial tree or bush.

Aquamation has been around for decades and is used in the human world, too.

Individual Cremation or Aquamation —  Your pet is placed into the cremation or aquamation chamber and separated from other pets. When the cremation or aquamation process is complete, we ensure that you receive only the remains of your loved one, in our standard urn of your choice. 

Communal Cremation or Aquamation — Your pet is cremated or aquamated in a group setting with other pets. The remains are not returned to you, but scattered in a communal garden by Bay Area Mortuary Pet Services.

This is a common question and rest assured that your beloved pet is tracked throughout the entire aftercare process. At Bay Area Pet Services, we use a tracking system similar to the one we use for human cremation, which tracks your loved one through the entire pet aftercare journey. Your pet is assigned a unique identification number that is verified at multiple points through the aftercare process - from drop off at our facility, throughout our funeral home and the cremation/aquamation center. 

Yes, please call us or, if it's after hours, use our Online Appointment Scheduler to make an appointment to bring your pet to our funeral home (due to limited staff, you must make an appointment, we do not offer walk-in service).  408-998-2202

If you are keeping your pet’s body to say goodbye or to hold until we are open, you may find the following information helpful:

• As soon as possible, following the passing of your pet, it’s best to place pee pads, old towels/blankets, or plastic under the pet’s head  and rear end as they may begin losing fluids. It is okay to wrap the body in the pet’s favorite blanket and then a plastic bag. Alternatively, wrapping the body in a blanket or a towel you do not mind getting soiled or disposing of and placing the  body in plastic bag or pee pad lined box or tote will help keep your home and  vehicle more sanitary.
• Keep your pet cool with ice packs, ice, or placing in a cooler with ice packs, or freezer. 
• If there are items you would like to keep, such as a collar or sweaters, please remove them prior to releasing your pet into our care.

Depending on the cause of death, there usually aren't major changes to the body for the first couple of hours, except for the following:  

•  Body fluid leakage – Due to all the muscle relaxation, there can be body fluid leakage at any time. Elimination of urine is most common, but diarrhea is possible, as well as airway fluid from the nose and mouth. A disposable plastic-lined pad or washable towel should be placed directly under the lower half of the body and perhaps the head, as well.  
•  Rigor mortis – At some point the body’s muscles will become stiff but the timing is variable. This can happen within the first hour or not for a few hours afterwards.  
•  Eyes remain open – People don’t realize that the open position is the relaxed position. It actually takes effort and energy to keep our eyes closed. 
•  Tongue sticking out of mouth - The tongue might protrude from the mouth from all the relaxation, as well.  
• Foul smell - The body will start to smell due to the decomposition of the body. The best way to control the smell is to slow down the decomposition process through refrigeration or freezing.