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Capital District Veterinary Referral Hospital

Dog looking out to the open grass

End of Life Arrangements

Please accept our deepest sympathies on the loss of your beloved pet.

Our pets are members of our families and being faced with end of life and aftercare decisions can be upsetting and overwhelming. During this difficult time, we would like to help make the next steps easier for you. Please call us at (518) 785-1094 if you have any questions after you leave our hospital. We hope that you find some comfort in the memories of your pet and that those memories will one day replace your sorrow.

Cremation Services

Cremation Services are provided by Forget-Me-Not Pet Crematory.

For more information on the process, fees and urn choices, please call or go to their website: www.forget-me-notpetcrematory.com.

Address: 80 Lyman Street, Northboro, MA 01532

Phone: (508) 393-0133

Email: [email protected]

GENERAL CREMATION:

If you have chosen General Cremation (you do not wish to have your pet’s ashes returned to you), no further action is needed on your part. Payment for this service is collected by a Capital District Client Care team member at the time of your visit. If you have requested an ink paw print card, the card will be mailed to the address you have provided us in approximately one week. Forget Me Not will scatter your pet’s cremains at the Animal Rescue League’s Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, MA.

PRIVATE CREMATION

If you have chosen Private Cremation (you do wish to have your pet’s ashes returned to you), partial payment for this service will be collected by a Capital District Client Care team member at the time of your visit. Forget Me Not will charge an additional fee for individual cremation based on the weight of your pet and the urn option that you select.

Forget Me Not will contact you within one to two days of picking up your pet’s remains at our hospital to confirm your decision, explain all options, and answer your questions.

You may choose to have your pet’s ashes returned to you in a complimentary cedar urn, or you may select a decorative urn or pendant. All urn choices can be viewed on Forget Me Not’s website, along with more information about their services. If you have requested an ink paw print card, the card will stay with your pet’s remains and you will receive them together. If you would like a clay pawprint this can be requested with Forget Me Not as well.

Burial Services

If you would like to bring your pet home for Private Burial, we will place your pet in a cardboard casket. If you request an ink paw print card, the card will be mailed to your home address in approximately one week. We have a limited availability to hold remains at our hospital. If you are unable to bring your pet’s body home with you immediately following your visit, a holding fee will apply. Please call us in advance (minimum 4 hours) to arrange a time to pick up your pet’s remains.

You may make arrangements for a different pet funeral service to pick up your pet’s remains if you prefer. Once arrangements are in place, please be sure to contact us with the name of the funeral service and date and time of pick-up so that we can be sure pick-up is facilitated.

We encourage you to do your own research to find the cemetery that works best for you and your family, our Client Care team will assist as needed.

You and your pet deserve to be treated with the utmost respect at this time. We are available to answer any and all questions that you may have regarding this painful process.