When Your Beloved Pet Passes
Please accept our sincerest condolences on the loss of your pet.
We understand how difficult this time can be for you and your family. This resource will help walk you through the steps necessary to complete your pet’s final arrangements.
We have compiled a list of local pet cemeteries and crematoriums here.
Do You Want A Necropsy?
An animal autopsy, also known as necropsy, is performed to provide you with a diagnosis of your pet’s disease, and when possible, a cause of death. This examination may include internal anatomy, requiring dissection of organs and removal of limbs in a respectful manner. Accordingly, once a necropsy is performed, the final remains of your pet would not be viewable. Veterinary students will assist and learn from the necropsy, under the direct supervision of a faculty pathologist. Please know that by choosing this procedure, you are helping to advance veterinary medicine, and we are grateful.
Yes
If you would like a necropsy, you will asked to choose one option for both of the following:
- 1. Unrestricted Use or Further Use Forbidden
- Unrestricted Use
You are authorizing UC Davis to use your pet’s remains for teaching and/or clinical discovery purposes, in addition to the standard necropsy to determine a probable cause of death.
- Further Use Forbidden
Your pet’s remains will not be used for clinical discovery purposes. A necropsy will be performed to determine a probable cause of death
- Unrestricted Use
- 2. Group or Private Cremation
(Owner pick-up is NOT ALLOWED on animals that have been necropsied.)- Group Cremation
Your pet will be cremated at UC Davis in a group with other pets. Unfortunately, your pet’s ashes cannot be returned to you with this option. - Private Cremation You will be responsible for contacting a private crematorium within three business days of your pet’s passing. You must provide payment and pet details to your chosen crematorium in order for them to pick up your pet from UC Davis. The crematorium you choose will then return your pet’s ashes to you directly. Crematoriums do not return ashes back to UC Davis.
Please contact the Anatomic Pathology Service at 530-752-1368 to inform them which private crematorium you have chosen to pick up your pet. If a necropsy or other post-mortem examination is being performed on your pet, please inform the crematorium. They will call the Anatomic Pathology Service to confirm and arrange pick-up. Most pets are ready for pick-up the day after a necropsy or post-mortem examination.
- Group Cremation
Necropsy results will be relayed to you by your UC Davis veterinarian in approximately 30 days.
No
If a necropsy is not desired, you will asked to choose one option:
- Cremation Options and Owner Pick-Up
- Group Cremation
- Private Cremation
- Owner Pick-Up
Owners can take their pet home after its passing if no necropsy or post-mortem examination is being performed. Owners must take their pet home within three business days of passing. If you change your mind and request a private or group cremation, please inform the Anatomic Pathology Service within three business day of pet’s passing.
Hold For Decision
If a cremation or a necropsy request decision cannot be made at the time of your pet’s passing, your pet will be placed on hold with the Anatomic Pathology Service, and you will have three business days to make a decision. A necropsy on your pet cannot be requested outside the three business day post-mortem window. Due to health hazard concerns, if no cremation decision or owner communication has been made within ten days, your pet will be automatically group cremated with no ashes returned and a morgue holding fee will be applied.
Disclaimer: In the rare instance your pet is determined to have a possible infectious or zoonotic (transferable to humans) disease that requires immediate cremation, it will not be possible to release remains directly to you or to a private crematorium. All remains will be transported to a designated facility for cremation. We will contact you immediately if this is found to be the case.
Other options: If an insurance necropsy is desired, please inform your UC Davis veterinarian at the time of your pet’s passing. Additional fees apply.