Paw Print Keepsakes in Quebec
Clay, ink, inkless paper or a 3D cast: this page explains what each one gives you, how the weather in Quebec affects drying and setting, and what to ask your vet or crematory.
- Take the print before cremation
- Clay, ink or cast, explained simply
- Published prices, no guesswork
Quebec, Canada
Paw Print Keepsakes in Quebec: what to know
Rural parts of Quebec often mean a pet travels some distance to be cremated. That makes the local vet, or your own kitchen table, the right place for a print. Crematories can take one at intake as a backup, but a print you took yourself is one you've already checked.
Many owners in Quebec take their pet's print long before the end, on a calm afternoon while their dog or cat is still a healthy senior. It's gentler, it gives a crisper result and it means the keepsake exists no matter how suddenly things change later. If your pet is still with you, that's the approach we'd suggest first.
We cover 3 communities in Quebec, from Montreal, Quebec City and Laval.
Every Quebec community we cover
Choose your city or town for local prices, weather and timing, and rules. 3 communities in Quebec, largest first below.
Cremation habits in Quebec and the print window
When roughly 81.1%[1] of human funerals in Quebec end in cremation, the whole system is built for speed, and pet aftercare often runs the same way. Collection can be booked for the same afternoon, and some crematories cremate within a day or two. That efficiency is a kindness, but it also shrinks the time in which a print can be taken. Ask how soon cremation will happen, and if it's quick, take the print yourself before collection.
Source for the Quebec figure: CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030). It describes human funerals and is here as context, not as a count of pets.
Budgeting for a print and what it becomes
In Quebec, as across Canada, a paw print is usually arranged through your vet or the pet crematory at the same time as cremation. For comparison, one BC crematory lists slate paw urns at CA$99 to CA$140[2], and a nameplate on a photo urn costs CA$15[3]. Ask for a written quote in CAD that lists the print, the urn and any engraving separately.
Canadian paw print prices are mostly published by small studios and crematories. One Canadian studio charges from CA$155 for a handmade ceramic paw-print keepsake and asks buyers to allow 3 to 4 weeks[4]. A clinic or crematory clay print taken before cremation is usually much cheaper, so ask what's included when you book in Quebec.
| Item | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Handmade ceramic paw-print keepsake | from CA$155[4] | Allow 3 to 4 weeks |
| Slate paw urn | CA$99 to CA$140[2] | BC crematory catalog |
| Nameplate on a photo urn | CA$15[3] | Same crematory |
| Private cremation, pets up to 20 lb | CAD 195[5] | Vancouver Island, before GST |
The published sources behind those figures are Vancouver Island Animal Crematorium and Spawts.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Burial, scattering and prints in Quebec
Some towns and councils in Quebec run a collection service for pets who die at home, usually without returning any ashes. If that's the route you take, a print will be the only keepsake you have, so take it before you call. The notes below cover the other options: home burial, pet cemeteries and scattering ashes.
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.
- 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.
In order: the print, the aftercare, the keepsake
- Tell your child what's happening in plain words, then offer them a part in making the print if they want one. Our guide to print-making with children has age-by-age ideas for what they can do.
- Give them a real job: rolling the clay, choosing the card color or writing the name.
- Let them press a hand or fingerprint beside the paw if they want to.
- If the print is taken after death, let an adult or the vet do it, and show your child the finished keepsake.
- Make a copy for your child's room, so the original can stay somewhere safe.
- Come back to it later. One child wants it framed the same week; another won't look at it for months.
Turning a print into something lasting
If you'd like ashes and the print together without wearing them, an ashes-in-glass piece needs only about 1/8–1/2 tsp[7] of ashes, and the paw can be engraved on its base or a matching frame. Use our jewelry ash capacity guide to see how far your pet's ashes will go, and our ashes sharing planner if several people want a piece.
Next: see what each choice includes on services, run your own numbers in the tools, check the poll results, or pick another area from all locations.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
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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
Where can I get a paw print keepsake in Quebec?
Across Quebec, 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 Quebec 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.
How many communities do you cover in Quebec?
We have local paw print keepsake guides for 3 communities in Quebec, including Montreal, Quebec City and Laval. Each page covers timing, weather, local prices and how to ask your vet or crematory for a print.
Can my vet in Quebec take a paw print before cremation?
Almost always, if you ask in time. Mention it when you book the appointment or the cremation, ask for it on the aftercare form and ask to see it before your pet leaves. If the vet can't, the crematory can usually take one at intake. After cremation, it's too late.
What if my pet is cremated far from home?
In rural parts of Quebec, pets are often cremated in a larger town some distance away. Take the print locally before collection, yourself or through your vet, so you can check it. Many crematories also take one at intake as a backup and return it with the ashes.
Can children help make a paw print?
Often, yes, and many find it helps. Let them roll the clay, pick the frame or add their own handprint next to the paw. When the print is made after death, a vet or another adult can take it privately and show them the result. There are age-by-age ideas in our children's print-making guide.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030. CANA Industry Statistical Information, 2030.
- [2] Brass pet urns at Okanagan Pet Cremation cost CA$99 (up to 50 lb) or CA$128 (50–100 lb); slate paw urns cost CA$99–$140. Okanagan Pet Cremation – Urns, 2026.
- [3] A Canadian pet crematory (Okanagan Pet Cremation) sells wooden photo urns for CA$68–$88 by pet size, plus CA$15 for a nameplate. Okanagan Pet Cremation – Urns, 2026.
- [4] Spawts, a Canadian studio, charges from CA$155 for a handmade ceramic paw-print keepsake and asks buyers to allow 3–4 weeks. Spawts – Ceramic keepsakes, 2026.
- [5] A Vancouver Island crematorium lists private cremation at CAD 195 (0-20 lb), CAD 255 (41-60 lb) and CAD 315 (81-100 lb), excluding GST. Vancouver Island Animal Crematorium - Pet Cremation Rates, 2026.
- [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.
- [7] Ashes-in-glass pet memorials use only about 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon of ashes. Funeral.com – Ashes in Glass for Pets, 2026.
Ask who takes paw prints in Quebec
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.