Who takes your pet's paw print, and how do you make sure it happens?
A paw print is usually taken by you, your vet or the crematory, and the most common reason one gets missed is simply that the request didn't travel with your pet. With 78%[1] of UK cremation buyers arranging it through their vet, the clinic is where that request most often starts, so that's where it needs writing down.
By the Paw Print Keepsakes & Memorial Impressions editorial team · Updated September 24, 2026 · 4 min read · Sources
- Who takes prints, and at what point
- Requested, accepted, done: the three steps to confirm
- What to do if a print didn't happen
The short answer
Who actually takes the paw print?
There are three people who can take a paw print: you, at home with a kit; your vet or home-visit vet, at or after the final appointment; or the crematory, when your pet arrives and before cremation begins. Each works well. What goes wrong is rarely the print itself; it's that the person who could have taken it never heard you ask.
The fix is to treat a print request like any other instruction about your pet's care: say it, see it written down, and check it was done. The rest of this article shows how that looks at each stage. The poll results show how often readers did it themselves rather than asking a vet or crematory.
Who would you rather take the print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
At home
How is a print taken when you do it yourself?
Taking the print yourself puts you in charge of timing. You choose a calm day, try a few times and keep the clearest. Clay, ink and inkless kits all work at home, and the paw print kit chooser matches a method to your pet's paws.
If you plan to do it after your pet has died, decide who will hold the paw and who will hold the card or clay before the day comes. Our step-by-step article on taking a print after a pet dies covers the first hours gently. Even if you take your own print, tell the vet or crematory that it's done, so they don't take a second one you haven't asked for, or charge for it.
Free tool
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
At the vet
How do vets take paw prints, and how do you ask?
Most goodbyes are handled by the family's regular clinic. In the US Dog Aging Project, 60.1%[2] of euthanized dogs were euthanized by their primary care veterinarian. Many clinics keep clay kits on hand; others use ink or inkless paper. A nurse typically takes the print after the goodbye, while you're still in the room or once you've stepped out, depending on what you prefer.
Vets are often more willing to help than their websites suggest. Only 20.6%[3] of reviewed US practice websites even mentioned after-death care, so the absence of a paw print on the price list doesn't mean they won't do it. The conversation itself is short: 73%[4] of owners in one US survey said they needed 20 minutes or less to talk through after-death care with their vet team.
For the exact words to use when booking, see asking your vet about prints ahead of time.
At the crematory
How do crematories take prints before cremation?
Crematories take prints at intake, when your pet arrives and is logged. A staff member presses the paw into clay or onto ink card, labels it with your pet's ID, and sets it aside to dry. It's then packed with the ashes or posted separately.
Many build the print into their packages. One Arizona aquamation provider includes an ink paw print in its individual packages at $75–$349[5], and a Virginia crematory includes a paw print and fur clipping in private packages priced at $189–$300[6]. Others charge per item. Because the crematory usually receives your pet from the vet, not from you, the request has to be on the paperwork that travels with them. By our estimate, the median per-item paw-print charge at US crematories is ~$32[7].
Families often stick with a provider they already know: over 95%[8] of US owners with a preferred crematory said working with it mattered. If yours offers prints, name it to your vet and ask them to send your pet there.
Confirming it
How do you check the print was actually taken?
Think of a print request as having three separate stages, and don't assume the next one follows automatically.
- Requested. You've asked. Ideally in writing, on the clinic's consent form or in an email.
- Accepted. Someone who will be there has confirmed they'll do it, and knows which type: clay, ink, nose, or all three.
- Done. The print exists and is labeled with your pet's name or ID. Ask for a quick text or a photo if you want peace of mind.
Our paw print checklist turns these steps into a printable list, including what to check when the print arrives home.
If it went wrong
What if the print wasn't taken?
First, ask whether cremation has happened yet. If not, a quick call to the crematory can still save it. If it has, ask the clinic whether anyone took a print without mentioning it; sometimes a spare exists. Then consider a copy made from a photograph, or a different keepsake such as a fur clipping or a little ash in jewelry.
It's also fair to ask for a refund if you paid for a print that wasn't made. Knowing the price up front helps: in the UK, only 52%[9] of cremation buyers surveyed by the Competition and Markets Authority remembered being given price information at all. The memorial budget planner lets you list each item you've agreed to pay for, so you can check the final bill against it.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
If you'd like us to find vets or crematories near you that take prints routinely, send us a few details and we'll reply by email. You can also browse our print services to see every route in one place. Our local pages show who serves your area.
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.
Who would you rather take the print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Who made (or will make) the aftercare decision in your household?
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.
Questions people ask
Does the vet or the crematory usually take the paw print?
Either can, and it depends on local habits. Clinics that do a lot of end-of-life appointments often take a clay print in the room, while others leave it to the crematory at intake. Ask your vet which happens at their practice, and make sure the request is written on the paperwork that travels with your pet.
Can I be present when the paw print is taken?
Usually, yes, if it's taken at the clinic or during a home visit. Many families like to hold their pet while the nurse presses the paw. If you'd rather not watch, say so, and the team can do it once you've left the room. Crematory prints are normally taken without the family present.
How long does it take to get the print back?
A print you take yourself is ready once it's dry. Prints taken at a vet or crematory often come back with the ashes, which many families receive within about 5 to 10 days, though timelines vary. If you need the print sooner, for example to order jewelry, ask for it to be sent separately.
What if the clinic says they don't do paw prints?
Ask whether you can bring your own kit and take it yourself, either before the appointment or in the room afterwards. Most clinics are happy to give you a few quiet minutes. You can also ask the crematory the clinic uses, since many take prints at intake as a standard add-on.
How will I know the print is really my pet's?
Ask how prints are labeled. A good provider writes your pet's name or ID number on the back of the card or the base of the clay, and keeps it with your pet's file until it's returned. Your own knowledge helps too: toe shape, pad size and any scars are often recognizable.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In total 78% of UK cremation buyers purchased through, or on the recommendation of, their vet or out-of-hours provider. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [2] 60.1% of euthanized Dog Aging Project dogs were euthanized by their primary care veterinarian. Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2026), via PubMed Central, 2026.
- [3] Only 20.6% of reviewed US veterinary practice websites mentioned after-death body care (32% referenced euthanasia at all). Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [4] 73% of surveyed dog/cat owners said they need 20 minutes or less for the after-death body care conversation with their veterinary team. Cooney KA, Kogan LR, Brooks SL, Ellis CA. Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 2021 (PMID 33383233), 2021.
- [5] A Greener Place in Mesa, Arizona, charges $75–$349 for individual pet aquamation by weight, including an urn, nameplate and ink paw print. A Greener Place Pet Aquamation – Pricing, 2026.
- [6] 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.
- [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] Over 95% of surveyed pet owners who had a preferred crematory or cemetery said it was important to work with that preferred aftercare provider. Cooney KA, Kogan LR, Brooks SL, Ellis CA. Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care. Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, 2021 (PMID 33383233), 2021.
- [9] 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.
Find vets and crematories that take prints
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.