Getting your pet's paw print in Saskatoon
A paw print is the one keepsake you can't order later. Here's how owners in Saskatoon capture one at home or at the clinic, keep it from cracking or smudging, and have it made into something lasting.
- Take the print before cremation
- Clay, ink or cast, explained simply
- Published prices, no guesswork
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
How owners in Saskatoon get a paw print
The Meewasin trails along the South Saskatchewan River, the river valley itself and the wide prairie skies are places many Saskatoon families connect with a pet's life. Scattering on public land has rules, so look into them first. Keeping most of the ashes at home in an urn and carrying a small portion in a pendant or keepsake is a common approach.
Saskatoon gardens come alive in a short, bright summer, and many families plan a pet's memorial for that season: a stone with a name, a lilac or caragana planted in a bio urn, or a flower bed. Families who rent or may move for work often prefer an indoor urn, a framed paw print or jewelry. Choose the place first, then the object.
If your dog or cat has a regular groomer in Saskatoon, ask for their help. A quick paw tidy a day or two before a planned goodbye trims the fur between the pads and around the toes, which is the difference between a clear print and a fuzzy oval. Many groomers will fit in a short, gentle appointment for an elderly pet once they know why. Ask them to leave the fur around the outer edge so the outline stays.
About 266,000 people live in Saskatoon, which makes it the largest of the 2 Saskatchewan communities we cover.
Saskatoon sits within easy reach of Regina (146 miles). A provider based in any of them will usually collect from Saskatoon; ask what the mileage adds to the bill.
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.
How Canada thinks about cremation, and why prints matter
Cremation accounts for about 81.1%[1] of human deaths in Canada, so many households already have a shelf or cabinet where family ashes and photos sit. A pet's print tends to join that shelf. That's worth knowing before you choose a format: a clay disc needs a small stand, an ink print suits a frame the same size as your photos, and a print engraved straight onto the urn saves space altogether.
The Canada percentage above is from CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030) and refers to human funerals. Treat it as context for Saskatoon, not as a count of pets.
Getting a clean print in Saskatoon in any season
Whatever the season in Saskatoon, take prints indoors in a comfortable room, not in direct sun or a cold garage. Dry the paw with a towel before using ink so it doesn't smudge, and tape the card down. Let clay dry on a rack at room temperature for two or three days, then seal it before framing or posting it anywhere.
Budgeting for a print and what it becomes
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 Saskatoon, 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.
The Saskatchewan price table breaks costs down by product; our services page explains what sits behind each line.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Landlords, parks and permits in Saskatchewan
You don't need anyone's permission to take your pet's paw print, and prints, casts and ashes jewelry can be kept, posted or carried anywhere. The rules that matter in Saskatchewan are about burial and scattering. If you plan a home burial, take the print before you begin; if you plan to scatter, keep some ashes back for a print pendant first.
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.
Start with the Saskatchewan rules, which cover burial, scattering and oversight for the whole state, and treat Saskatoon's local ordinances as a possible extra layer.
Your paw print plan for Saskatoon
- Take a breath. If your pet has just died at home, there is usually time for a print in the first few hours. Lay them on a towel in a cool room.
- Gather what you need: a damp cloth, and either clay you've softened between your palms or a sheet of card fixed to a board alongside a pet-safe ink pad.
- If the leg has stiffened, bring the clay to the paw. Ease it onto the pads with light pressure; don't try to push the foot down.
- Take a nose print too if you'd like one, with a light touch of ink or an inkless wipe.
- Call your vet or crematory afterwards, and let them know a print has already been made so they can skip that step.
- Let the print dry indoors, out of direct sun and well clear of radiators, before framing it or mailing it.
Ways families in Saskatoon keep a print close
Paw prints, fur clippings and small keepsake urns are popular with Saskatoon families whose relatives are spread across the prairies, from small towns to Calgary. Ask your provider early whether these are included, because prints must be taken before cremation. If you'd like a garden memorial, the late-spring window after the frost lifts is when a stone or tree settles in well.
The services page is the place to compare what is included, use the free tools before you ring anyone, or see what other families chose in the poll results, browse in-depth guides or recent articles. If you live between Saskatoon and Regina, either page applies. Every other community in Saskatchewan, and all of Canada, is listed too.
Reader polls
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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
Is cremation common in Canada?
For people, yes: about 81.1%[1] of Canada deaths end in cremation, according to CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in Saskatoon follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
Can I post a clay paw print in winter?
Yes, but wrap it well. A fully dried and sealed clay print is sturdy, but freezing temperatures in a delivery van can crack one that's still slightly damp. Make sure it's completely dry, wrap it in bubble wrap inside a rigid box and avoid shipping over a weekend. Better still, send a scan if the maker accepts one.
Will my vet or crematory take a paw print before cremation?
Most will if asked, and many include a clay or ink print in the package. But requests can be missed on a busy day, especially at emergency clinics. Mention it when you book, ask for it to be written on the aftercare form and ask whether it comes back to you that day or with the ashes. Once your pet has been cremated, the chance is gone.
Is ink safe on my pet's paw?
Use a pet-safe, non-toxic, water-based ink made for paw prints, not a stamp pad or permanent marker. Wipe the paw clean straight afterwards with a damp cloth or unscented pet wipe and dry between the toes so your pet doesn't lick any off. For fluffy paws, cats and anxious pets, an inkless kit, where a special wipe reacts with treated paper, avoids ink on fur altogether.
What if my family can't agree who keeps the print?
Take several. Clay can be re-rolled and ink prints are quick, so there's no reason to stop at one. If the original is already made, photograph or scan it and have copies made: framed ink prints, small engraved tags or matching pendants. Our ashes sharing planner can help if you're dividing ashes between keepsakes too.
Will the crematory send the paw print back with the ashes?
It depends on the provider. Some take the print at intake and return it with the ashes; others hand it to your vet or post it separately. Ask how the print is labeled and when it will come back, and ask for a photo of it before cremation so you know it's clear. If you'd rather not wait, take your own before collection.
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] The typical sterling silver pet cremation pendant costs about $190, based on the middle of three sellers' price points. Our estimate: median of [Urns.com median $129, Memorials.com midpoint of $87.95–$297.95 = $193, Final Gift sterling paw pendant $240]. How we calculate.
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