Paw Print Keepsakes in New Zealand
Nose prints, hoof prints, tiny bird feet and big dog paws each need a slightly different approach. This page for New Zealand walks through them all, with published prices and no pressure.
- Take the print before cremation
- Clay, ink or cast, explained simply
- Published prices, no guesswork
New Zealand
Paw Print Keepsakes in New Zealand: what to know
In New Zealand, most families arrange aftercare through their vet, who works with one or more pet crematoria. Prints are commonly offered but not always mentioned, so it's worth asking by name. You can also take a print yourself at home, which gives you full control over timing and the number of copies.
Because a paw print must be taken before cremation or burial, it's the one keepsake in New Zealand that depends on planning rather than shopping. Jewelry, engraving and art can all be ordered later from a scan. The print itself can't be remade, so it's the first thing to arrange.
We cover 4 communities in New Zealand, from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington to smaller towns.
Our estimate
595,000
Estimated pet-owning households across the communities we cover in New Zealand
How we calculated this
The sum of our per-city estimates for the 4 communities in New Zealand on this site: each city's population ÷ national average household size × the national share of households with a pet. Households with several pets count once.
Browse New Zealand by region
Pick your state or region to see every community we cover there, or jump straight to one of the largest cities.
Burial, cremation and paw prints in New Zealand
Human funerals in New Zealand split between cremation, at about 69%[1], and burial for most of the rest, so pet cemeteries and pet crematories both have a local following. If you're leaning toward a cemetery plot, ask what kind of marker they allow. Some accept an etched granite plaque, some a bronze plate cast from a clay print, and some only flat stones. The answer tells you whether you need a clay impression, a flat ink print or both.
The Spinoff, citing FDANZ 2023 Funeral Industry Trends Report (2023) publishes the New Zealand rate we quote. Read it as the local custom around cremation rather than as pet data.
Where the money goes: the print, then the finishing
Most providers in Australia and New Zealand fold the print into a package price, so the useful question in New Zealand is what the package leaves out. Common extras are a second print, a nose print, a fur clipping and engraving. By our estimate, private cremation for a Labrador-sized dog costs about 27% more in Australia than the US midpoint[2], so a print that's already included is worth having in writing.
Individual cremation for pets up to 5 kg in Australia has a median listed price of about AUD 412 median[3], and a paw print is usually a small extra on top. If you want the print engraved, one Brisbane crematory charges A$245 for a laser-engraved metal urn, which takes about two weeks[4]. Ask providers serving New Zealand for a written price that shows the print separately.
| Item | Published price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Individual cremation, pets up to 5 kg (median) | AUD 412 median[3] | Ask whether a print is included |
| RSPCA Queensland memorial package | from AUD 250[5] | Memorial returned within 14 days |
| Laser-engraved metal urn, Brisbane | A$245[4] | About two weeks to engrave |
| Paw print on its own | No published local price found | US crematory median about $32[6] |
If a number here surprises you, the primary material is Patch & Purr Pet Cremations and Pet Farewell (Australia); we only apply it to this.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
What New Zealand allows after your pet dies
Some towns and councils in New Zealand 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 New Zealand, most vets work with a regional pet crematorium that can take a clay or ink paw print before cremation, often if you simply ask. Damp winters and humid summers in much of the country slow air-dry clay, so be patient before sealing. If you're in a rural area, the vet visit is usually the best moment for a print.
Getting a paw print in New Zealand, step by step
- If your pet dies unexpectedly at the clinic, ask for a few minutes alone with them before you go. Staff will almost always allow this, and many can fetch a print kit for you there and then.
- Say exactly what you want: ink, clay, a nose print, or every one of them, plus the number of copies.
- If you can't face doing it yourself, a nurse or technician can make the print while you step out of the room; ask them to show you the result before you head home.
- Get the crematory's name and your pet's reference number from the front desk, written down.
- If no print was taken, call the crematory first thing the next morning and ask for one at intake.
- Leave the urn and the other extras for later. Of everything on offer, only the print has to be settled now.
Keeping the print and the memory close
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.
Whose print are you thinking about?
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
What do other owners in New Zealand 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.
Where can I get a paw print keepsake in New Zealand?
Across New Zealand, 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.
How many dog and cat households are there in New Zealand?
By our estimate, there are about 595,000 dog- or cat-owning households across the New Zealand communities we cover. Each of those pets has a paw that can be pressed into clay or ink, and far fewer owners take a print in time than would like one.
Can I get more than one copy of my pet's print in New Zealand?
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.
Can my vet in New Zealand 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.
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] 69% of bodies in New Zealand were cremated in 2023, per the Funeral Directors Association of NZ. The Spinoff, citing FDANZ 2023 Funeral Industry Trends Report, 2023.
- [2] A private cremation for a Labrador-sized dog costs about 27% more in Australia (AUD 480 median, ~$317) than the US 51-70 lb midpoint ($250). Our estimate: 480 x 0.66 = 317; 317/250 - 1. How we calculate.
- [3] An Australian provider survey of listed prices puts the median individual cremation at AUD 412 for pets up to 5 kg (range AUD 295-612). Pet Farewell (Australia) - Pet Cremation Cost Australia (2026), 2026.
- [4] Patch & Purr's metal urns cost A$170 with an engraved disc, A$185–A$195 with an engraved stand, or A$245 laser-engraved, which takes about 2 weeks. Patch & Purr Pet Cremations – Urns & timber boxes, 2026.
- [5] RSPCA Queensland's Pets at Rest memorial packages (individual cremation) start from AUD 250, with the memorial returned within 14 days. RSPCA Queensland - Pet cremation (RSPCA Pets at Rest), 2025.
- [6] 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.
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.