Paw Print Keepsakes in Leinster
Whether your pet is a healthy senior or has just died, there's usually still time for a print. Here's the calm, practical version for Leinster: what to do first and what can wait.
- Nose prints and fur clippings too
- Keep a scan so the original stays home
- Options that serve Leinster
Leinster, Ireland
Paw Print Keepsakes in Leinster: what to know
Getting a paw print in Leinster 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.
Paw prints in Leinster 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.
We cover 1 community in Leinster, from Dublin.
Every Leinster community we cover
Choose your city or town for local prices, weather and timing, and rules. 1 communities in Leinster, largest first below.
How Leinster thinks about cremation, and why prints matter
With cremation at only about 26.56%[1] for people in Leinster, many pets here are laid to rest in a yard or a field. If you'd like the print to mark the spot, keep the original indoors and put a copy outside. Rain, frost and sun wear away clay and ink within a season, while an engraved stone, a metal plate or a resin cast made from a scan will stand up to years of weather.
We take the Leinster percentage from Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Statistics 2024 - Eire (2024). It refers to people; attitudes to cremating a pet tend to follow it.
What owners in Leinster typically pay for a print
We haven't found a published European price for a paw print on its own, so compare like with like. Ask two providers in Leinster the same three questions: is a print included, what is it made of, and can I see it before cremation? For scale, a Norwegian pet crematorium lists separate cremation from NOK 3,790 for pets up to 20 kg[2], and a print is typically a small fraction of that.
Europe has more pet cats than dogs: about 108 million cats[3] against roughly 89.6 million dogs[4]. Cat paws are small and neat, so a print of all four often fits on one card or a single clay disc, and many crematoria include one for cats within the package. Before choosing a provider in Leinster, ask whether VAT is included and whether the print is clay, ink or both.
| Item | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Individual cremation, Germany | €165 to €375[5] | Ask whether a Pfotenabdruck is included |
| Individual cremation, Ireland (up to 10 kg) | €250[6] | Ask about clay or ink prints |
| Resin paw cast, UK (small dog) | from £120[7] | For comparison |
| Clay paw print, US crematory network | $76[8] | For comparison |
| Paw print on its own in Europe | No published price found | Ask for a written quote |
Where these figures come from: Final Gift Pet Memorial Center and Donegal Pet Crematorium.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Local rules worth knowing in Leinster
Some towns and councils in Leinster 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 Ireland, pet crematoria commonly offer paw prints within their individual cremation packages, and your vet can usually arrange one before collection. The damp climate means air-dry clay can take several days to harden fully, so dry it indoors on a rack and seal it only once it's pale and light all through.
A short checklist for a clean print
- 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: clay warmed in your hands, or card taped to a board with a pet-safe ink pad, plus a damp cloth.
- 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.
From paw print to pendant, frame or garden stone
A clear print can become almost anything: a silver charm, an engraved urn, a ceramic tile, an embroidered cushion or the stencil for a tattoo. You don't have to decide straight away. Keep the original safe, photograph it and come back to the question in a few months, when you know what you'd like to see every day.
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?
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.
When did (or will) you take your pet's print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Whose print are you thinking about?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
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
How many communities do you cover in Leinster?
We have local paw print keepsake guides for 1 communities in Leinster, including Dublin. Each page covers timing, weather, local prices and how to ask your vet or crematory for a print.
Can I get a hoof print from a horse in Leinster?
Yes. Ask your farrier to trim and clean the hoof, then press it into a thick clay slab or paint the sole with non-toxic paint and press it onto heavy card. Many horse owners also keep the last shoe and a braid of tail hair. Do it while your horse is still well if you can.
How much does a paw print cost in Leinster?
Published prices for prints alone are scarce, because most are sold within a cremation package or quoted on request. As a benchmark, a US crematory network lists a clay paw print at $76[8], and a UK studio casts a small dog's paw in resin from about £120[7]. Ask local providers for a written price.
What do other owners in Leinster choose for a paw print keepsake?
We don't publish made-up figures on that. We do run short, anonymous polls on what readers chose, from clay discs to engraved jewelry, and you can see the live results. They count one vote per person and aren't a scientific survey, but they give a feel for how other owners decided.
Can my vet in Leinster 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.
Are there rules about paw prints in Leinster?
No. You can take, keep, post and display a paw print, cast or ashes pendant freely. The rules in Leinster 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.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In 2024, 26.56% of deaths in the Republic of Ireland were cremated (9,341 of 35,173; excludes one crematorium). Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Statistics 2024 - Eire, 2024.
- [2] A Norwegian pet crematorium lists separate cremation at NOK 3,790 (1-20 kg) to NOK 4,990 (51-90 kg) and communal at NOK 1,190 to NOK 1,895, VAT included. Hjertedyr (Norway) - Prisliste, 2026.
- [3] Europe has about 108 million pet cats, more than its 90 million pet dogs. FEDIAF European Pet Food, Facts & Figures 2025 (2023 data), 2023.
- [4] Europe has about 89.6 million pet dogs. FEDIAF European Pet Food, Facts & Figures 2025 (2023 data), 2023.
- [5] A German consumer guide lists collective pet cremation at EUR 85-205 and individual cremation at EUR 165-375. deine-tierwelt.de - Tierbestattung: Diese Moeglichkeiten gibt es und das kosten sie (Nov 2023), 2023.
- [6] An Irish pet crematorium lists individual cremation from EUR 150 for pets under 2 kg and EUR 250 for cats or dogs up to 10 kg. Donegal Pet Crematorium - How Much is Pet Cremation in Ireland?, 2026.
- [7] Brighton Body Casting in the UK charges from about £120 to cast a small dog's paw pads in resin; medium and large breeds cost about 1/5 and 1/3 more. Brighton Body Casting – Pets, 2026.
- [8] Final Gift charges $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay paw print, $111 framed, and $133 framed with a fur clipping; a fur clipping alone costs $23. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [9] 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 Leinster
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