The keepsake
A paw print keychain, with a little of them inside it
Every cremation we arrange comes with one. A small lock of your pet’s fur, set into a paw print keychain in the colour you choose, in your hands within a few days — long before the ashes come home.
Why a keychain, and not a certificate
The gap between a pet dying and their ashes coming back is one to two weeks. That fortnight is the emptiest part of the whole thing. The bowls are still by the door, the house sounds wrong, and there is nothing to hold.
A certificate does not help with that. Something in your pocket does. Bridget started making these because she had been through that fortnight herself and knew exactly what was missing from it.
It is not a product we upsell. It is the reason the R500 exists at all.
Ten colours
Choosing one is the only decision in this process that is entirely yours. Most people pick their pet’s collar colour, or the blanket they always slept on.
Take the fur clipping now
If your pet has just died, or is unwell and you know where this is going, do this before anything else. It takes ten seconds and it cannot be done later.
- 1Small scissors. Any will do.
- 2Cut from the chest, the ruff behind the neck, or the base of the tail — thickest fur, least visible.
- 3About a large pinch is plenty. More than you think you need is fine.
- 4Into an envelope, a ziplock, or folded paper. It keeps indefinitely.
Questions
Do I have to buy the keychain separately?+
No. It is included in the R500 coordination fee and there is nothing else to buy. There is no premium version and no larger package. If you would like extra keychains for other family members, ask — we will quote you at cost.
What if I did not take a fur clipping in time?+
Tell us as soon as you message. If your pet has not yet been collected, we will walk you through taking one — it takes ten seconds and you need nothing but scissors. If they have already been collected, we ask the crematorium to take one before the cremation. Most will.
If the fur genuinely cannot be recovered, we still send the keychain, engraved with their name.
How do I take a fur clipping?+
Small scissors, and a spot where the fur is thickest and least visible — the chest, the ruff at the back of the neck, or the base of the tail. You want about the volume of a large pinch of salt. Put it in an envelope, a small ziplock or folded paper. It keeps indefinitely.
If your pet is still alive and unwell, take one now. This is the only keepsake that cannot be arranged afterwards.
When does it arrive?+
Usually within two to four days, which means it reaches you well before the ashes do. In Gauteng we hand-deliver where we can. Elsewhere it goes by courier, tracked.
Can it be engraved?+
Yes, with your pet’s name. Tell us the spelling you want when you message — including the one that only your family uses.
Can I choose the colour?+
Yes, from ten. It is the only decision in the whole process that is purely yours, so take a moment with it. People often pick their pet’s collar colour, or the colour of the blanket they slept on.
Included with every cremation we arrange
R500 flat, covering the arranging and the keychain. Nothing else to buy.
Arrange a cremation · R500