The paw print checklist: every step from asking to keeping
To make sure you get your pet's paw print, decide the type ahead, put the request in writing, confirm it was taken and labeled, and check it on arrival before it goes on a shelf. In the UK, 89%[1] of cremation buyers never compared providers, so a short checklist is often the only planning that happens.
By the Paw Print Keepsakes & Memorial Impressions editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 4 min read · Sources
- Four short lists: before, on the day, on return, afterwards
- The labelling questions most people forget
- What to check on the print itself when it arrives
The short answer
Why use a checklist for a paw print?
Because the print passes through several hands, and each handover is a chance for it to be forgotten. You tell the vet, the vet tells the crematory, the crematory takes the print, packs it and sends it home. A checklist keeps the request visible at every step and gives you a simple way to check it happened.
It also covers the part no one mentions: what to do once the print arrives, so it lasts. Use as much or as little of it as you need. If you're taking the print yourself at home, skip straight to the last two lists. To see at what stage other readers took a print, look at the poll results.
When did (or will) you take your pet's print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
List 1
What should you decide before the day?
- Which prints? Paw, nose, or both. Front or back paw. One print or several for family members.
- Which method? Clay, ink, inkless or a cast. The paw print kit chooser helps if you're unsure.
- Who takes it? You, the vet, a home-visit vet or the crematory. Our article on who takes paw prints explains each route.
- Fur too? A small clipping from behind the ears or the chest is easy to add at the same time.
- What does it cost? Ask for a written price. In the UK, only 52%[2] of cremation buyers remembered being given prices for the service and its packages.
- Is there a deadline? If the crematory takes the print, it must be before cremation starts. Our print window timing guide covers each stage.
Free tool
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
List 2
What should you say and check on the day?
- Tell the vet team at the start, not the end: "We'd like a paw print taken, and a nose print if possible."
- Check the request is written on the consent or cremation form that travels with your pet.
- Say whether you want to be present while it's taken, or would rather step out.
- Ask how the print will be labeled, with your pet's name, an ID number, or both.
- Ask whether the print comes back with the ashes or separately, and roughly when.
- If the crematory is taking it, ask the clinic to include a note, then call the crematory to confirm they have it.
Many families never hear what's available. Fewer than half (47%[3]) of UK cremation buyers in the Competition and Markets Authority's survey recalled being told about a range of options, so asking directly is how you make sure a print is on the list.
Costs
How do you keep the bill clear?
Prints are cheap relative to everything else, but they're often listed as extras, so it's worth knowing what's normal. At one US cremation network, ink prints cost $49, clay or silver-clay prints $76, and a framed print with fur $133[4]. Some providers fold a print into a package instead: a Virginia crematory includes a paw print and fur clipping in private cremation packages at $189–$300[5], while charging $175 for pickup from a vet clinic[6].
Knowing those numbers helps you read your own quote. By our estimate, the median US paw-print add-on is ~$32[7]. The memorial budget planner lets you list the cremation, the print, pickup and any jewelry together, with your real quotes in place of our starting figures.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
List 3
What should you check when the print comes home?
Many families receive private cremation ashes within about 5-10 days[8], and prints often arrive in the same package. Before you put it on a shelf, open it somewhere calm and check:
- The label. Your pet's name or ID on the back of the card or base of the clay.
- The paw. Toe shape, pad size and any distinctive marks you'd recognize.
- The condition. No cracks or chips in clay; no smudges or damp marks on ink.
- Everything ordered. Nose print, fur clipping, extra copies, frame.
- The paperwork. Any certificate or note that came with the ashes.
If anything looks wrong, contact the provider straight away, while records are fresh. Most are glad to explain how a print was taken and labeled. Our services page explains how each type of provider handles prints.
List 4
What should you do in the first week after?
- Scan or photograph it flat, in daylight, before it goes behind glass. This is your backup and the file makers will ask for.
- Let clay finish drying somewhere cool, turning it now and then, then seal it.
- Store ink prints flat in an acid-free sleeve until you frame them; the Library of Congress explains why in its guide to caring for paper.
- Decide on copies for family members, from the scan rather than the original.
- Choose where it lives. Our guide to displaying prints and pairing tags has ideas, and caring for ink and clay prints covers the practical side.
The print took seconds. The checklist is about making sure those seconds weren't wasted.
If you'd like us to find a vet, crematory or maker near you who takes prints routinely, send us your details and we'll reply by email. Our local pages are another way in.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
When did (or will) you take your pet's print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Did you (or would you) compare more than one provider?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
When did you (or will you) decide on aftercare?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
What should I ask the crematory about my pet's paw print?
Ask whether they take prints at intake, which types (clay, ink, nose), what it costs, and how the print is labeled. Then ask whether it comes back with the ashes or separately, and when. Finally, ask them to confirm by email once the print has been taken, so you know the request reached the right person.
How are paw prints labeled so they don't get mixed up?
Providers usually write your pet's name, an ID number or both on the back of an ink card or the underside of a clay disc, and keep it with your pet's file until it's packed. Ask what system they use. A clear answer is a good sign, and you can check the label yourself when the print arrives.
What if the print arrives cracked or smudged?
Contact the provider straight away with a photo. Some can take or make another if your pet hasn't been cremated yet, or refund the cost if not. A small crack in clay can often be repaired with a little matching clay and sealer. A scan of a smudged ink print can sometimes be cleaned up digitally for engraving.
Should I scan my pet's paw print?
Yes, as soon as it arrives. Lay it flat in good daylight and photograph it straight on, or use a flatbed scanner at a high resolution. That file protects you if the original is damaged, and it's what engravers, jewelers and tattoo artists will ask for, so the original never has to leave home.
Is a paw print usually included in the cremation price?
Sometimes. Some crematories include a paw print and fur clipping in private packages, while others list prints as extras, often somewhere between $10 and $76. Ask for a written total that names every item, including the print, so you can check the final bill against what you agreed.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 89% of UK owners who bought a pet cremation did not compare different providers; 9% did. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [2] Only 52% of UK cremation buyers recalled receiving information on the price of the service and different packages. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [3] Fewer than half (47%) of UK cremation buyers recalled being told about a range of options, including communal cremation or home burial. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [4] Final Gift charges $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay paw print, $111 framed, and $133 framed with a fur clipping; a fur clipping alone costs $23. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [5] Heavenly Paws Cremations in Chantilly, Virginia, sells private cremation packages at $189 (temporary container), $225 (wooden urn) and $300 (wooden photo urn), each including a paw print and fur clipping. Heavenly Paws Cremations – Packages, 2026.
- [6] The same Virginia provider charges $350 on top of any package for a witnessed cremation appointment, and $175 for pickup from a vet clinic. Heavenly Paws Cremations – Packages, 2026.
- [7] Paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of about $32, from $10 to $76. Our estimate: median of [$10 clay (AGP), $15 laser engraving (AGP), $49 ink (Final Gift), $76 clay (Final Gift)]. How we calculate.
- [8] A US aftercare guide says many families receive private cremation ashes within about one to two weeks, with 5-10 days commonly quoted. Funeral.com - Pet Cremation Timelines: How Long Until Ashes Are Returned, 2026.
Get help arranging a print near you
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