A paw print to keep, in Auckland
Auckland has an estimated 435,000 dog- or cat-owning households. If yours is one of them, a print taken now, or before cremation, is the keepsake you can't go back for.
- Nose prints and fur clippings too
- Keep a scan so the original stays home
- Options that serve Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand
Who takes paw prints in Auckland
Many Auckland families bury ashes in the garden or plant a tree over them, which suits the region's mild climate and long growing season. Native plants such as a kowhai or a flax are popular choices and do well in local soils. If you rent or expect to move, keep the ashes in an urn until you have a permanent spot, or divide a portion into a keepsake.
Paw prints, nose prints and a lock of fur are simple keepsakes that many Auckland families ask for before cremation. With relatives often spread across New Zealand, Australia and further afield, dividing ashes into small urns or cremation jewellery lets everyone keep a connection. Tell the provider what you would like before the cremation, so the right portions can be set aside.
Air-dry clay is fragile, and few people realize a pottery studio in a large city like Auckland may fire a print for them. If you use a proper stoneware or earthenware clay instead of air-dry, a studio with a kiln can fire and glaze it into something as durable as a dinner plate. Call ahead, ask what clay they accept and let the print dry right through before you drop it off, because trapped moisture can crack a piece in the kiln.
With roughly 1,657,000 residents, Auckland is one of the New Zealand communities we cover.
Our estimate
435,000
How many dog- or cat-owning households Auckland has (estimate)
How we calculated this
1,657,000 ÷ 2.7 = 613,704 households; × 31% (dog) + 40% (cat) = 435,000. Multi-pet homes count once.
Our estimate
37,000
Estimated dog and cat losses in Auckland each year
How we calculated this
435,000 dog/cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (dog: 12.69 yrs + cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 37,000 a year. Treat it as a minimum.
31%[1]
31% of New Zealand households have a dog, down from 34% in 2020.
12.69 years[2]
US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years.
40%[3]
40% of New Zealand households have a cat - cats are NZ's most popular pet.
11.18 years[4]
US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years.
To check the figures yourself, see Companion Animals New Zealand, 2024 NZ Pet Data Report and Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Burial, cremation and paw prints in New Zealand
Roughly 69%[5] of deaths in New Zealand 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.
The New Zealand percentage above is from The Spinoff, citing FDANZ 2023 Funeral Industry Trends Report (2023) and refers to human funerals. Treat it as context for Auckland, not as a count of pets.
Seasons in Auckland and a print that lasts
We don't have local weather data for Auckland, so here's the general rule: prints dislike extremes. Clay wants a room at ordinary indoor temperature, out of sun and drafts, for two or three days. Ink wants a dry paw and a dry card. Plaster and resin want warmth to set, but not heat. If a room is comfortable for you in a sweater or a T-shirt, it's fine for a print.
Budgeting for a print and what it becomes
Most providers in Australia and New Zealand fold the print into a package price, so the useful question in Auckland 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[6], so a print that's already included is worth having in writing.
The full price table by product is on our New Zealand page, and the services page explains what each option includes.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Burial, scattering and prints in New Zealand
There are no rules about taking a paw print; it's yours to do at home, at the clinic or at the crematory. Where New Zealand does have rules is what happens next: whether your pet can be buried at home and where ashes can be scattered. Those choices can affect your print too, for example if you want it set into a garden stone or a grave marker.
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.
What to do first, and what can wait
- 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: rolling the clay, choosing the card color or writing 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, so the original can stay somewhere safe.
- Come back to it later. One child wants it framed the same week; another won't look at it for months.
Turning a print into something lasting
Auckland's beaches, harbours and volcanic cones are where many pets spent their happiest hours, and some owners want to scatter ashes there. Several of these places carry deep significance for mana whenua, the local Māori tribes, and scattering ashes may be inappropriate at some sites. Check with the relevant council or park authority first, and consider a quieter garden or private spot instead.
or see how other readers answered in our polls, try the free planning tools, go deeper with the guides or catch up on recent articles, Compare every option on our services page. Every other community in New Zealand, and all of New Zealand, is listed too.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
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When did (or will) you take your pet's print?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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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 New Zealand?
For people, yes: about 69%[5] of New Zealand deaths end in cremation, according to The Spinoff, citing FDANZ 2023 Funeral Industry Trends Report (2023). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in Auckland follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
How many pet owners live in Auckland?
By our estimate, about 435,000 households in Auckland have at least one dog or cat, and around 37,000 are lost each year. We calculate this from the city's population of about 1,657,000, the average household size and national ownership and lifespan figures, so treat it as a floor rather than an exact count.
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.
Can I get my dog's nose print?
Yes. Dab a small amount of pet-safe ink onto the nose with a soft sponge, or use an inkless wipe, then press a folded card gently against the nose from the front. It usually takes a few tries. The ridges on a dog's nose make a striking engraving on a pendant or an urn, and many providers take a nose print alongside the paw.
Is it possible to print a guinea pig's or hamster's feet?
Yes, but it takes patience and a light touch. Tiny feet leave only faint marks in ink, so very soft modeling clay or an inkless kit usually works better. Warm the clay well, cradle your pet in a towel on your lap and press the clay gently up to the foot rather than lowering the foot. For a hamster, one clear hind foot is plenty. If your pet is frightened, stop; letting your vet take it after death is gentler.
How many households in Auckland have a dog or cat?
By our estimate, about 435,000 households in Auckland have a dog or a cat, and around 37,000 dogs and cats are lost there each year. We calculate this from the city's population, average household size and national pet ownership and lifespan figures. The method is shown on this page.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 31% of New Zealand households have a dog, down from 34% in 2020. Companion Animals New Zealand, 2024 NZ Pet Data Report, 2024.
- [2] US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [3] 40% of New Zealand households have a cat - cats are NZ's most popular pet. Companion Animals New Zealand, 2024 NZ Pet Data Report, 2024.
- [4] US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [5] 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.
- [6] 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.
- [7] 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.
Ask who takes paw prints in Auckland
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.