Pet Aftercare Options: What to Do After Your Pet Passes

Losing a pet leaves a family with practical decisions to make at exactly the moment when practical thinking is hardest. This guide walks through every aftercare option available in Melbourne, what each one involves, what it costs, and what questions to ask, so you can make a calm, unhurried choice that feels right for your pet and your family.

*This post is general information. Your vet can help you understand what options apply to your specific situation.*

What Happens Immediately After Your Pet Passes

Whether your pet passes at home or at a clinic, you have time. There is no need to make decisions in the first hour. A pet's body can remain at home for 4–6 hours comfortably at room temperature, and longer if kept in a cool space. This window exists so your family can be together, say goodbye properly, and decide next steps without rushing.

If your pet passes during an at-home euthanasia visit with At Home Vetcare, Dr. Jina Song will remain until your family is ready. Aftercare arrangements can be discussed before or after the visit, whichever feels more manageable.

The two main aftercare paths are cremation and burial. Within each, there are meaningful variations.

Pet Cremation in Melbourne

Cremation is the most common aftercare choice for Melbourne pet owners, particularly for those in apartments, rental properties, or homes without suitable garden space.

At Home Vetcare coordinates cremation through Celestials Pet Cremation Service. There are two types. For a deeper comparison of costs and what you get back, see our guide to private vs communal cremation.

Communal Cremation

In communal cremation, your pet is cremated together with other animals. Ashes are not separated or returned. This is a dignified and respectful process, and for many families it is the right fit, particularly when keeping ashes does not feel important or when cost is a factor.

Communal cremation costs $195 flat, regardless of your pet's size.

Private Cremation

In private cremation, your pet is cremated alone. The ashes are returned to you, typically within 5–7 days. Private cremation allows families to keep their pet's remains, scatter them somewhere meaningful, or incorporate them into a memorial.

Pricing for private cremation starts at $280 for pocket pets (rabbits, guinea pigs, birds) and scales to $500 for XL dogs. Every private cremation includes your choice of vessel, a Certificate of Cremation, digital tracking, and an ink paw print and fur clipping on request.

Vessel options include gold, silver, and white metal tins, and velvet bags at no additional cost. Upgrade options include wooden boxes from $89, ceramic urns from $95, heart-shaped urns at $160, metal urns at $170, and eternity spheres from $310. Personalised options such as engraved plaques ($30), clay paw prints ($100), and eternity infused pendants ($370) are also available.

If your pet is above 30 kg and you choose home collection for private cremation, an additional $75 fee applies.

Comparing Communal and Private Cremation

Pet Burial Options in Melbourne

Burial is a meaningful option for many families, and it comes in two forms: home burial and pet cemetery burial.

Home Burial

Home burial is legal in Victoria under certain conditions. Agriculture Victoria guidance states that burial should be on your own property, at a minimum depth of 60 cm, and away from water sources. It is not permitted in rental properties without landlord permission, and is generally not suitable for apartments or smaller urban blocks.

If home burial is something you are considering, check local council regulations as well, since some municipalities have additional requirements.

Home burial allows families to choose a specific spot in the garden that held meaning: a favourite sunning spot, a corner near the vegetable patch your dog always investigated. A simple marker, whether a stone, a plant, or a small plaque, can help the space feel like a memorial.

One practical note: the burial needs to happen within 24–48 hours if refrigeration is not available.

Pet Cemetery Burial

Several pet cemeteries operate in and around Melbourne. These offer individual burial plots with lasting markers, and some provide mausoleum and garden ash-scattering options as well. Costs vary significantly by provider, plot type, and whether an ongoing maintenance fee applies. If this option appeals to you, it is worth contacting cemeteries directly to compare current pricing and availability.

Pet cemetery burial is a good option for families who want a permanent, dedicated physical location to visit.

Memorialisation: Beyond Ashes and Burial

For many families, the aftercare choice does not end with cremation or burial. Memorialisation is a separate decision, and it is always optional.

Some families choose nothing formal and find that their own rituals, planting a tree, framing a favourite photo, creating a small indoor space with their pet's collar and a candle, are enough.

For those who want something tangible, the aftercare options coordinated through At Home Vetcare include:

• •Eternity spheres (from $310): blown-glass spheres with a small amount of ash incorporated
• •Eternity infused pendants ($370): wearable jewellery with ash
• •Clay paw prints ($100): made at or after the euthanasia visit
• •Engraving ($30): added to urns or boxes
• •Ink paw prints: included on request with private cremation

None of these are required. They exist for families who find physical objects comforting during grief.

What to Do After Your Pet Dies: A Practical Sequence

If you are not sure where to start, this sequence can help.

1. 1.Give your family time. There is no urgency in the first few hours.
2. 2.Decide whether cremation or burial feels right. Consider your living situation, whether you want ashes returned, and your budget.
3. 3.If cremation: choose communal or private. If private, consider which vessel option suits you.
4. 4.If home burial: confirm it is permitted on your property, and that you have a suitable location and depth.
5. 5.Contact At Home Vetcare or your vet to coordinate collection or transfer to the cremation provider.
6. 6.Consider memorialisation separately, and only when you are ready.

There is no correct answer. What matters is that the choice feels right for your family and honours your pet's place in your home.

Supporting Your Family Through Pet Loss

Grief after losing a pet is real, and for many people it is more intense than those around them expect. Children, in particular, may need support processing the loss.

Two services worth knowing about in Australia:

• •24/7 Pet Loss Support Line: 1300 431 450
• •Griefline: 1300 845 745 (general grief support, available to anyone)

At Home Vetcare provides grief support resources to all families following a home euthanasia visit. If you did not receive these, contact us and we will send them through.

When to Contact Us

If your pet has passed, or if you are planning ahead for end-of-life care and want to understand your aftercare options before the day arrives, our Aftercare Services page has full pricing and details. For families still in the decision-making stage, a Quality of Life Consultation with Dr. Jina Song can help you think through what comes next at whatever pace feels right.