Paw Print Keepsakes in New South Wales
Nose prints, hoof prints, tiny bird feet and big dog paws each need a slightly different approach. This page for New South Wales walks through them all, with published prices and no pressure.
- Nose prints and fur clippings too
- Keep a scan so the original stays home
- Options that serve New South Wales
New South Wales, Australia
Paw Print Keepsakes in New South Wales: what to know
Paw prints in New South Wales aren't only for dogs and cats. Horse owners keep hoof prints pressed into clay slabs, bird owners capture tiny feet in soft clay, and rabbit owners find that clay shows the long, furry shape of the hind foot better than ink. Each needs a slightly different approach, and each city page covers the basics.
Getting a paw print in New South Wales works much the same everywhere: you take it yourself, your vet takes it, or the crematory takes it before cremation. What changes from place to place is how much choice you have. In the bigger cities there are in-home vets, emergency hospitals and local makers who turn prints into jewelry or art. In smaller towns, the local vet is usually the one moment to ask.
We cover 9 communities in New South Wales, from Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to smaller towns.
Our estimate
2,120,000
Estimated pet-owning households across the communities we cover in New South Wales
How we calculated this
The sum of our per-city estimates for the 9 communities in New South Wales on this site: each city's population ÷ national average household size × the national share of households with a pet. Households with several pets count once.
Every New South Wales community we cover
Choose your city or town for local prices, weather and timing, and rules. 9 communities in New South Wales, largest first below.
Ashes, graves and the print that comes first
Because New South Wales cremates about 71%[1] of the people who die there, many families have no grave to visit, for people or for pets. Something has to take the place of a headstone, and a print does that job surprisingly well. It's physical, it's unmistakably your animal, and it can hang by the front door or sit on a desk. If you plan to scatter the ashes, the print may be the only memorial you keep.
FuneralSmart (2023) publishes the New South Wales rate we quote. Read it as the local custom around cremation rather than as pet data.
Budgeting for a print and what it becomes
A home kit is the cheapest way to get a print in New South Wales, and it gives you as many copies as you like. Order one early, while your pet is well, because courier delivery to regional areas can take days. If you'd rather a crematorium did it, the median listed price for individually cremating a pet under 5 kg in Australia is around AUD 412[2], and a print is usually a small line on top of that.
Individual cremation for pets up to 5 kg in Australia has a median listed price of about AUD 412 median[2], and a paw print is usually a small extra on top. If you want the print engraved, one Brisbane crematory charges A$245 for a laser-engraved metal urn, which takes about two weeks[3]. Ask providers serving New South Wales for a written price that shows the print separately.
| Item | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Individual cremation, pets up to 5 kg (median) | AUD 412 median[2] | Ask whether a print is included |
| RSPCA Queensland memorial package | from AUD 250[4] | Memorial returned within 14 days |
| Laser-engraved metal urn, Brisbane | A$245[3] | About two weeks to engrave |
| Paw print on its own | No published local price found | US crematory median about $32[5] |
The published sources behind those figures are Pet Farewell (Australia) and Patch & Purr Pet Cremations.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Local rules worth knowing in New South Wales
Nothing in New South Wales restricts a paw print, a nose print or a lock of fur. What local rules do shape is where ashes may go, and some favorite places, such as parks, beaches and trails, need the landowner's permission. If that permission is hard to get, a print can carry the memory of the place instead: frame it beside a photo taken there, or have the trail's name engraved under the paw.
In Australia, paw prints are usually part of a cremation package or a small add-on, and RSPCA Queensland's memorial packages come back within 14 days[4]. Summer heat is the main practical issue: take prints indoors with the air conditioning on, keep your pet cool first and dry air-dry clay slowly out of direct sun. In the tropical north, humidity can keep clay soft for days.
- Burial at home: Confirm the rule for the actual parcel and proposed burial with the local authority and property owner.
- Scattering ashes: Ask the exact land manager about scattering before making arrangements; a general gathering permission is a separate matter.
- Who oversees it: the authority responsible for the specific activity and location; this guide does not identify a universal permit or licensing rule
- Worth knowing: Record the service method, release authority, identification and return instructions in writing.
A city's population does not establish which aftercare activities are allowed at an address. Check the actual site and activity before proceeding.
How to make sure a print is taken in time
- Decide who will take the print: you, your vet, or the crematory when your pet arrives. Whoever does it earliest gives you the most say over the result.
- Tell the crematory in writing that you want a print, and ask for a photo of it before cremation.
- Ask how your pet is identified from collection to return, so the print and the ashes definitely belong together.
- Ask about fur clippings too; many providers can add a lock of fur to the print.
- Plan the finishing later. Jewelry or artwork can wait as long as it needs to; make that choice once you feel ready.
- If you'd like help, send us a few details; we'll write back by email laying out the options.
From paw print to pendant, frame or garden stone
If you plan to scatter some ashes, keep a pinch back before you do. A pendant with your pet's print on the front and a little ash inside is one of the most popular pairings, and our jewelry ash capacity guide shows how little each piece holds.
From here: services and prices, the free tools, what readers voted in the polls, or the map of every location.
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.
Where would your pet's print live?
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Who would you rather take the print?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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Free tools to help you plan
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Jewelry ash capacity guide
How much ash fits in pendants, rings and glass, and how many pieces one pet can fill.
Questions people ask
Are there rules about paw prints in New South Wales?
No. You can take, keep, post and display a paw print, cast or ashes pendant freely. The rules in New South Wales cover burial and scattering, which matter if you plan a garden stone set with the print or want to scatter ashes after keeping a pinch for jewelry.
How many dog and cat households are there in New South Wales?
By our estimate, there are about 2,120,000 dog- or cat-owning households across the New South Wales communities we cover. Each of those pets has a paw that can be pressed into clay or ink, and far fewer owners take a print in time than would like one.
Where can I get a paw print keepsake in New South Wales?
Across New South Wales, most vets, in-home euthanasia vets and pet crematories can take a clay or ink paw print, usually before cremation. You can also take one yourself at home with a kit. For jewelry, engraving or art, local makers and online studios both work from a clear print or a scan. Ask for the print when you book aftercare, not afterwards.
Is it better to use a local maker in New South Wales or order online?
Either works. A local jeweler, engraver or ceramic studio lets you see samples and hand the print over in person. Online makers usually work from a photo or scan, so the original stays at home. Ask for a proof before production and check the turnaround time.
Can I get more than one copy of my pet's print in New South Wales?
Yes. Request two prints from your vet or crematory at the time of booking; it's a common request and usually costs little extra. Ink prints take seconds, so a home session can produce as many as you like. If you only have one original, scan it and have copies printed, engraved or cast, so every person in the family has their own without anyone giving up the original.
Should I take a print of my senior pet now?
If you can, yes. A relaxed, living pet usually gives the crispest print, and there's no time pressure. Choose a calm, good day, after a meal or a walk, and take several so you can keep the clearest. Many owners in New South Wales say the afternoon itself becomes a memory.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Australian cremation rates hovered around 70-72% between 2020 and 2023, with Sydney and Melbourne often above 80%. FuneralSmart, 2023.
- [2] An Australian provider survey of listed prices puts the median individual cremation at AUD 412 for pets up to 5 kg (range AUD 295-612). Pet Farewell (Australia) - Pet Cremation Cost Australia (2026), 2026.
- [3] Patch & Purr's metal urns cost A$170 with an engraved disc, A$185–A$195 with an engraved stand, or A$245 laser-engraved, which takes about 2 weeks. Patch & Purr Pet Cremations – Urns & timber boxes, 2026.
- [4] RSPCA Queensland's Pets at Rest memorial packages (individual cremation) start from AUD 250, with the memorial returned within 14 days. RSPCA Queensland - Pet cremation (RSPCA Pets at Rest), 2025.
- [5] 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.
- [6] The median price multiple of private (ashes returned) over communal cremation across 8 markets is about 2.0x, ranging from 1.25x (Tokyo) to 5.2x (Auckland). Our estimate: median(private_price / communal_price) same weight band: US CareCredit 51-70 lb midpoints (250/75) = 3.33x; Auckland 15-25 kg (445/85) = 5.24x; Norway 1-20 kg (3790/1190) = 3.18x; Singapore 10-20 kg (480/260) = 1.85x; Ontario 25-250 lb (549/279) = 1.97x; Tokyo 20-30 kg (38500/30800) = 1.25x; France 20 kg midpoints (200/95) = 2.11x; Germany range midpoints (270/145) = 1.86x. How we calculate.
Tell us about your pet's print
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.