A paw print to keep, in Burlington
Nose prints, hoof prints, tiny bird feet and big dog paws each need a slightly different approach. This page for Burlington walks through them all, with published prices and no pressure.
- Take the print before cremation
- Clay, ink or cast, explained simply
- Published prices, no guesswork
Burlington, Ontario
How owners in Burlington get a paw print
The escarpment's limestone ridges and the lake views from the waterfront give Burlington strong natural landmarks, and some families like memorials that echo them, such as a natural stone marker or a photo of a favorite lookout framed beside an urn. Frost heave can shift stones in the garden over winter, so set markers on a firm, level base or keep them on a covered porch.
Not every memorial has to be large or visible. A small keepsake urn on a shelf, a ring or pendant holding a little ash, or a clay paw print made at home before collection can mean just as much. If you're unsure what you'll want, ask for the ashes to be returned in a simple container first, then choose the lasting memorial once the first weeks have passed.
Before anything else happens to the original, get a good digital copy. A phone photo will do in a pinch, but a flatbed scanner at 600 dpi or more picks up the fine creases that engravers love. Many public libraries and print shops in and around Burlington have one you can use for a small fee. Save the file in two places, and you can order copies, stamps or engravings for years without touching the original again.
With roughly 186,000 residents, Burlington is the 11th-largest of the 15 Ontario communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Burlington are based about 6 miles away in Hamilton, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
The closest communities we cover are Hamilton (6 miles, a larger centre), Oakville (11 miles) and Mississauga (20 miles, a larger centre). Providers serving those towns often travel to Burlington too, so it can be worth asking them for a quote.
81.1%[1]
CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030.
~$32[2]
Paw-print add-ons at US crematories have a median price of about $32, from $10 to $76.
3-5% of body weight[3]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
Burial, cremation and paw prints in Canada
Cremation is the everyday choice in Canada: about 81.1%[1] of people who die there are cremated. Pet aftercare tends to follow the same habits, which means most pets here end up as a small box of ashes. Ashes don't show a paw, a nose or the shape of a toe. That's a big part of why prints matter so much in high-cremation places, and why local crematories are so used to being asked for one.
That Canada rate is a human one, published by CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030). We quote it for Burlington only as a pointer to how families here already think about cremation.
Getting a clean print in Burlington in any season
Local weather in Burlington affects a paw print more than you might think. In hot, dry spells, air-dry clay can crack if it dries too fast, so dry it slowly indoors and turn it often. In humid months it stays soft for longer, so be patient. In cold weather, warm the clay in your hands and never let plaster freeze before it has set.
Where the money goes: the print, then the finishing
Small keepsakes cost more than their size suggests. One BC crematory lists a 1 oz heart keepsake urn at CA$106[4], and by our estimate a keepsake urn can cost about a third more than a full-size wooden urn from the same provider[5]. If you want something for each family member in Burlington, copies of a paw print on card or in clay are a far cheaper way to share, and a clinic or crematory print is usually a modest add-on.
For a line-by-line price table, see the Ontario overview; for what's included in each option, see our services.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What Ontario allows after your pet dies
Renters in Ontario often can't bury a pet in the yard without the landlord's agreement, and even where they can, the grave stays behind when the lease ends. That's one reason portable memorials such as prints are so popular. The notes below set out what Ontario allows for burial and scattering; whatever they say, a print moves with you to the next address.
In Canada, paw prints are usually arranged through your vet or the pet crematory at the same time as cremation, and some small studios make ceramic keepsakes from them. Cold winters are the main practical hurdle: warm clay in your hands, keep plaster work indoors and don't post a print that isn't fully dry. In Quebec, ask for an empreinte de patte.
Home burial and scattering are governed at the Ontario level first; our Ontario rules summary has the detail. Then check whether Burlington or your HOA adds anything.
Getting a paw print in Burlington, step by step
- For a horse, have the farrier out beforehand to trim the hoof and tidy it up. Clean the sole thoroughly and let it dry.
- Press the hoof into a thick slab of clay laid on a board, or paint the sole with non-toxic paint and press it onto heavy card. Have someone hold the foot steady.
- Keep the last shoe and a length of tail or mane hair, which many horse owners have braided or set into resin.
- For a bird or a very small pet, choose the softest clay or an inkless sheet, and barely press at all. Clay picks up tiny toes best.
- For a fluffy cat or rabbit, an inkless kit avoids ink on fur they'll groom later, and clay shows the long shape of a rabbit's foot.
- Dry and store every print indoors, and photograph it so a maker can work from the image.
Remembering your pet through their print
Burlington has plenty of families who moved from Toronto for more space, and many plan to stay for the long term, which makes a garden memorial appealing. A memorial stone under a tree, a planted bio urn or a small engraved marker can become part of the yard. If you might move one day, choose something portable or keep a small portion of ashes aside in a keepsake.
use the free tools before you ring anyone, look through our guides and the blog, The services page is the place to compare what is included, or look at how readers voted in our polls. If you live between Burlington and Toronto, London, Hamilton and Mississauga, either page applies. Every other community in Ontario, and all of Canada, is listed too.
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.
Whose print are you thinking about?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Where would your pet's print live?
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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
Which nearby towns can I compare with Burlington?
The closest communities we cover are Hamilton (about 6 miles), Oakville (about 11 miles) and Mississauga (about 20 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Burlington too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Why does the Burlington page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030) reports about 81.1%[1] of Canada residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
Where are the providers that serve Burlington actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Hamilton, about 6 miles away. That is normal for a city this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Burlington and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
Can I get a hoof print from my horse?
Yes. Most owners take one after the farrier has trimmed and cleaned the hoof: pick out the sole, dry it and press it into a thick slab of clay on a board, or paint it with non-toxic paint and press it onto heavy card. Someone should hold the foot steady. Many owners also keep the last shoe and a length of tail hair.
Should I take a paw print while my senior pet is still alive?
If you can, yes. A relaxed living pet usually gives the clearest print, and you can take as many as you like without pressure. It can also give anticipatory grief something useful to do; in an RSPCA survey, 75.4%[6] of bereaved owners said they grieved before their pet died. Choose a calm, good day and keep the session short.
How long before the print and ashes come back in Burlington?
By our estimate, most pet crematories return ashes within about 3 to 14 days[7], and a print taken at intake usually travels with them. A print taken by your vet may come back sooner, handed to you on the day or posted separately. Ask providers in Burlington which applies, and request a snapshot of the print if you'll be waiting a week or more; it's reassuring to know it came out clear.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030. CANA Industry Statistical Information, 2030.
- [2] 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.
- [3] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [4] A 1 oz heart keepsake urn costs CA$106 at Okanagan Pet Cremation, more than its full-size solid wood urn at CA$79. Okanagan Pet Cremation – Urns, 2026.
- [5] A 1 oz keepsake urn can cost about a third more than a full-size wooden urn at the same crematory. Our estimate: CA$106 heart keepsake / CA$79 solid wood urn. How we calculate.
- [6] 75.4% of RSPCA pet-loss survey respondents experienced anticipatory grief before their pet died. RSPCA — Pet Loss Survey Results, 2026.
- [7] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
Get paw print options in Burlington
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