Losing a cherished family pet is never easy. When a pet passes, most veterinarians offer cremation services—either on-site or through partnerships with nearby facilities. Flame-based cremation is the norm, but the process has a notable negative impact on the environment. Many pet owners aren’t aware there’s an alternative to traditional cremation.
Aquamation is a water-based process that uses gentle heat, alkali, and gentle circulation to break down the body. The process leaves behind only the bones, which are ground into ashes. The alternative to flame-based cremation comes at a similar cost, with a variety of benefits.
Why Aquamation?
“I may be biased, but I do think it’s a gentler process since you’re not using flame,” says Christos Philippou, owner of Delaware Pet Aquamation. “It’s also a tenth of the carbon footprint of traditional cremation.”
More than 350,000 tons of CO2 are emitted by the pet cremation industry in the United States each year. By using water and gentle heat, Aquamation doesn’t release any harmful emissions.
The process also results in an average of 20% more ash. Flame-based cremation burns and damages the bone, while the water-based process leaves behind most or all of the bones, which can be processed into ash and turned into thoughtful keepsakes.
Delaware Pet Aquamation offers a variety of keepsakes for families to remember their pet by. Philippou has been in the pet business in Delaware for years; first as a trainer, and now as the owner of Delaware Pet Aquamation. His experience in the field results in a compassionate approach to communicating with clients and commemorating their pets.
“I owned a dog training company for five years,” says Philippou. “I had the thought about pet cremation, and started looking into it. As I was doing research, I learned about the process of aquamation.”
Once Philippou learned the benefits of aquamation, he knew that was the path he wanted to follow. He connected with Bio Response Solutions, which owns the patent on the pet aquamation machine. “I had a really long conversation with them,” he says. “I thought it was a really good alternative for the pets and owners alike, and I realized there wasn’t a place in the area that offers it.”
Soon after, he found the space and purchased the machine. He’s taken about 35 clients so far—all organically, with no contracts with local veterinarians yet. As a new business, he’s focused on building relationships and educating the community on this alternative to traditional cremation.
“I’m just interested in learning the ways to get the word out,” he says.
Learn more at delawarepetaquamation.com.
Related: Now Is the Time to Begin Estate Planning in Delaware
