Paw Print Keepsakes in the Netherlands
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 the Netherlands: what to do first and what can wait.
- Home kit or vet-taken: your choice
- Tips for heat, humidity and cold
- Ideas for jewelry, engraving and art
the Netherlands
Paw Print Keepsakes in the Netherlands: what to know
In the Netherlands, as elsewhere, families increasingly keep a print even when they choose communal cremation or a simple burial. It's affordable, and it works whether or not ashes come home. If cost is a worry, start there: making one at home is cheap, and you can decide on finishing it, or not, much later.
Every country organizes pet aftercare its own way, and the Netherlands is no exception. On any provider's list, look for three things: whether a print is included, what material it's made in, and whether it's taken before or after your pet leaves the clinic. Those answers matter more than the name on the van.
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Ashes, graves and the print that comes first
Roughly 68.37%[1] of deaths in the Netherlands end in cremation, which often means one family holds both preferences. A grandparent may want the dog buried under the apple tree while a younger owner would rather have ashes on the mantel. If that debate is happening in your house, start with the print. Everyone agrees on it, it has to come first anyway, and it buys you a calmer hour to decide the rest.
That the Netherlands rate is a human statistic published by Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023 (2023); there is no pet equivalent, so we use it as a signal of how families here already think.
What owners in the Netherlands 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 the Netherlands 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.
In the Netherlands, your vet is usually the first contact and will arrange collection by a pet crematorium, which may offer a clay or ink paw print. Ask by name: a Pfotenabdruck in German, an empreinte de patte in French, a pootafdruk in Dutch. For comparison, a US crematory network lists a clay paw print at $76[3], and a UK studio casts small dog paws in resin from about £120[4].
| 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[4] | For comparison |
| Clay paw print, US crematory network | $76[3] | For comparison |
| Paw print on its own in Europe | No published price found | Ask for a written quote |
The numbers above come from Donegal Pet Crematorium and deine, if you'd like to read the original sources.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What the Netherlands allows after your pet dies
Rules in the Netherlands say a good deal about where a pet can be buried and very little about how a crematory keeps track of each animal. That's one more reason to take your own print: made before collection, it's a record you created yourself. Ask your provider how pets are tagged, and read the burial and scattering notes below for the rest.
In the Netherlands, ask your vet or dierencrematorium for a pootafdruk before cremation; many offer clay or ink prints within their packages. Several Dutch pet insurers contribute toward cremation costs, so check your policy. The damp climate slows air-dry clay, so allow extra drying time before framing.
Your paw print plan for the Netherlands
- Tell your child what's happening in plain words, and ask whether they'd like to help with the print. Our guide to print-making with children suggests roles for different ages.
- Give them a real job: they can roll the clay, pick the card, or write the name.
- Let them press a hand or fingerprint next to the paw, if they'd like to.
- If the print is taken after death, leave the pressing to an adult or the vet, then let your child see the result.
- Make a copy for your child's room, and tuck the original away out of harm's way.
- Come back to it later. One child wants it framed the same week; another won't look at it for months.
Keeping the print and the memory close
A garden stone with your pet's paw pressed into it is a lovely outdoor memorial, especially where they used to lie in the sun. Make it from the clay print as a template, or ask a local stonemason to engrave the scanned image. Our guide to displaying prints and engraved tags has more ideas.
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.
Whose print are you thinking about?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Where would your pet's print live?
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 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.
What do other owners in the Netherlands 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 I get more than one copy of my pet's print in the Netherlands?
Yes. Request two prints from your vet or crematory at the time of booking; it's a common request and usually costs little extra. Ink prints take seconds, so a home session can produce as many as you like. If you only have one original, scan it and have copies printed, engraved or cast, so every person in the family has their own without anyone giving up the original.
Are there rules about paw prints in the Netherlands?
No. You can take, keep, post and display a paw print, cast or ashes pendant freely. The rules in the Netherlands 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.
How much does a paw print cost in the Netherlands?
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[3], and a UK studio casts a small dog's paw in resin from about £120[4]. Ask local providers for a written price.
Can I get a hoof print from a horse in the Netherlands?
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.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In 2023, 68.37% of deaths in the Netherlands were cremated (108 crematoria). Cremation Society of Great Britain, International Cremation Statistics 2023, 2023.
- [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] 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.
- [4] 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.
- [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] 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.
Get paw print options in the Netherlands
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