PET AQUAMATION

Pet Aquamation by Clay-Barnette

Since 1960, providing compassionate funeral care has been our family tradition. At Clay-Barnette Funeral Home, we understand the joys and challenges of the many relationships that touch so many lives. It isn't just our training and education that helps us to understand, it's also because of the fact that these relationships so profoundly touch us too. Therefore, it makes sense to trust the care of your entire family, including your below pet, to the trusted funeral professionals. If you have questions please Contact Us Here.

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The Clay-Barnette Difference

With the immeasurable happiness, love and joy a pet brings, the loss can be devastating to a family. As funeral directors, we understand the overwhelming sorrow that results from the loss of a loved one, including your pets.


Unlike most pet crematories that operate in a warehouse / industrial environment, our Aquamation center is located in our Shelby Funeral Home, which allows for a comfortable and aesthetic setting for your healing process to begin. Offering a private entrance, and removals from your local veterinarian. These are just a few of our professional services we offer at Clay-Barnette.


Extraordinary Service ~ Best Price Guaranteed

What is Aquamation?

A Flameless Process


The scientific name for this water-based process is alkaline hydrolysis. It is the same process that occurs as part of nature's course when a pet is laid to rest in the soil. We use a combination of water flow, temperature, and alkalinity to accelerate nature's process.

Families Have Expressed

  • They are grateful to have this alternative.
  • They prefer a process that does not use fire or flame.
  • They prefer receiving up to 20% more of their pets ashes returned to the family.
  • They believe this to be a more gentle option than flame-based cremation.
  • Families value a professional funeral home setting.

FAQ about Aquamation

  • What actually happens?

    With alkaline hydrolysis, an individual pet is gently placed in a container that is then placed in a clean, stainless steel vessel. A combination of water flow, temperature and alkalinity are used to accelerate the natural process of tissue hydrolysis. At the end of the process, the pets body has been returned to its natural form, dissolved in the water .The only solid remains are the mineral bone remains. 

  • Is the body disscolved in acid?

    No, alkaline hydrolysis uses a catalyst called alkali, which is the chemical opposite of an acid.

  • Are the alkalis used in this process safe for the environment?

    Yes. The water-based process is 95% water and 5% alkali. A combination of alkalis (sodium and potassium hydroxide) are used in the process to dissolve the pets body. At the end of the process, the chemical has been completely used and no longer remains in the water solution.

  • What happens to the water?

    The water is returned to the ecosystem via the normal wastewater treatment facility, just as all funeral homes in the United States do during the embalming process. The alkaline hydrolysis process produces a completely sterile solution of amino acids, sugars, nutrients, salts, and soap in a water solution. These are the byproducts of natural decomposition.

  • Are the powdered ashes safe to handle?

    Yes, the remains are 100% safe, pathogen and disease free. The ash that is returned to the family is simply bone mineral, or calcium phosphate. The ashes will keep in an um, or may be buried or scattered in a special place as some families choose to do. 

  • What are my Aquamation choices?

    We offer private or communal options along with a full line of pet urns, markers, jewelry and other pet memorial products. Visit our website for a full list of products and pricing.