Paw and nose prints in Como: a calm guide
A print has to be taken while your pet is still with you, or before cremation, so a little planning helps. Here's how to get a clear paw print in Como, who can take it for you and what finishing it costs.
- Ask for a print when you book
- Help for paws, noses and hooves
- We reply by email, no obligation
Como, Lombardy
Getting a paw print in Como: the local picture
Italy cremates fewer than half of its dead, though the practice is more common in Lombardy than in the south, and many older relatives still think of burial first. For a pet, cremation is widely accepted. Families keep the ashes at home, bury them under a tree in the garden where that is allowed, or choose a pet cemetery. Nobody needs to decide this week.
On 2 November many Como families visit relatives' graves, and some quietly add a pet's photo or a candle at home the same day. A small urn beside family pictures, a potted plant on the balcony or a stone at the foot of a garden wall can become part of that yearly moment. Let the memorial fit your household's customs, whatever they are.
Farm and country homes around Como often have animals that city guides forget. A horse's hoof print is best taken after the farrier has trimmed and cleaned the foot, pressed into a thick clay slab or painted onto heavy card. Keep the last shoe as well. For chickens, ducks or a pet parrot, very soft clay shows the delicate toes far better than ink.
Como's population is around 84,000, the 2nd-largest of the 2 Lombardy communities we cover. Some of the providers who serve Como are based about 24 miles away in Milan, the nearest larger centre, so collection times reflect that drive.
Como sits within easy reach of Milan (24 miles, a larger centre), Turin (85 miles, a larger centre) and Verona (96 miles, a larger centre). A provider based in any of them will usually collect from Como; ask what the mileage adds to the bill.
38.16%[1]
In 2023, 38.16% of deaths in Italy were cremated (91 crematoria).
~$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.
Local customs and the keepsake you keep
Cremation is a minority choice for people in Italy, at about 38.16%[1], and the pet aftercare trade is smaller to match. A crematory an hour away may not list prints at all, and a vet clinic may never have been asked for one. Bring your own kit. A pack of air-dry clay plus a card and a pet-safe ink pad costs little, fits in a bag and means the print doesn't depend on anyone else's supply cupboard.
Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023 (2023) is where the Italy figure comes from. It counts people; we use it because attitudes to cremating a pet in Como tend to follow attitudes to cremation generally.
When the weather works against clay and ink
In warm weather, the first hours after a pet dies at home matter for comfort and for the print. Keep your pet in the coolest room, on a towel, and take the print early, before the body stiffens. In cold weather, a pet kept in a chilled room will have firm pads, so press the clay gently onto the paw instead.
Budgeting for a print and what it becomes
We haven't found reliable published prices for paw prints in Europe; most pet crematoria include them in a package or quote on request. For context, individual cremation in Germany is listed at about €165 to €375[4]. In Como, ask your vet or the crematorium for a written price that shows the print, the urn and any engraving separately.
Rather than repeat the price table on every city page, we keep one for Lombardy: Lombardy costs. What each service includes is on the services page.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What the law in Lombardy does and doesn't cover
Burial rules in many places, including Lombardy, exist partly because the drugs used in euthanasia stay in the body and can harm wildlife or other pets that dig. A print carries none of those concerns, which is why no one regulates it. If you're choosing between a home burial and cremation, the notes below cover what's allowed here; take the print before either.
Getting a paw print in Como, step by step
- For a horse, book the farrier to trim and clean the hoof first. Pick out the sole and dry it well.
- Press the hoof into a thick slab of clay resting on a board, or coat the sole in non-toxic paint and set it down on stiff card. Ask a helper to keep the leg still while you do it.
- Keep the last shoe and a length of tail or mane hair, since plenty of owners later have the hair plaited or cast in 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, go inkless so nothing ends up on fur they'll wash later; for rabbits especially, clay captures the long, narrow foot well.
- Dry and store every print indoors, then take a photo so any maker can use the picture, not the original.
From paw print to pendant, frame or garden stone
Como's centuries of silk weaving and careful craftsmanship still show in its workshops, and some families want a pet memorial that reflects that: a hand-thrown ceramic urn, a small piece of carved local stone, or a ring or pendant holding a trace of ashes. In a small flat, a compact piece on a shelf suits the space. Check any engraving letter by letter before it is made.
read our guides and latest articles, Every option Como families choose between is on the services page, or see how other readers answered in our polls, the planning tools turn your pet's details into figures. If you live between Como and Milan, either page applies. Every other community in Lombardy, and all of Italy, 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.
What worries you most about taking a print yourself?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Who would you rather take the print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
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
Can a provider from a neighbouring town collect from Como?
Usually yes. Milan is about 24 miles away, Turin is about 85 miles away and Verona is about 96 miles away, all inside a normal collection radius. Get the mileage written into the quote so there is no surprise on the day.
Why does the Como page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023 (2023) reports about 38.16%[1] of Italy residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
Will I have to travel to Milan to arrange things?
Not usually. Providers based in Milan (roughly 24 miles from Como) collect from here as a matter of routine, and the paperwork is done by email or phone. If you want to be present for a witnessed cremation, that is when the drive matters.
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.
There's no engraver in Como. How do I turn a print into jewelry?
Photograph or scan the print flat in daylight, with no shadow, and send the image to a maker who works by mail. Most engraving and jewelry is made from an image, not the original. Keep the clay or ink print at home. If a maker needs the physical print for casting, wrap it well and use tracked postage.
My pet was cremated without a paw print. Is there anything I can do?
You can't take a new impression after cremation, but there are good alternatives. Look through your photos for a clear shot of a paw, or of paw prints in snow, sand or mud; engravers and artists can trace one. Check old vet records, the puppy or kitten pack from a breeder, and grooming photos. Some artists can also draw a lifelike paw from pictures of your pet's feet. It won't be the exact pad pattern, but many owners find it just as meaningful.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In 2023, 38.16% of deaths in Italy were cremated (91 crematoria). Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023, 2023.
- [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 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.
- [5] Around 765,000 U.S. families a year are likely open to a personalized pet keepsake. Our estimate: 1.5M pet cremations x 51% interest in personalized memorials. 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.