A paw print to keep, in Clovis
Clovis has an estimated 47,500 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 Clovis
Clovis, California
Paw print keepsakes in Clovis: where to start
Many Clovis families mark important moments with gatherings, and a pet memorial can be part of that: a framed photo, a paw print impression or a keepsake urn set out for relatives to see. If family is spread across California or further, ashes can be divided into small keepsakes or jewelry, so each household keeps a share. Engraving a name and dates on the urn or stone makes it personal.
The Sierra foothills and the San Joaquin River are familiar places for many Clovis families, whether for weekend drives, hikes or time on the water at Millerton Lake. If you're thinking of scattering ashes, check the rules for that particular land first, since agencies set their own. Keeping part of the ashes for an urn or keepsake gives you a memorial at home too.
If you'd like to compare, look a little further afield too. A ceramic studio, engraver or jeweler in Los Angeles may be happy to turn your pet's print into a tile, a pendant or a framed piece. Many small makers take orders by email and post the finished work back, so distance matters less than whether you like their samples.
About 129,347 people live in Clovis, which makes it the 45th-largest of the 307 California communities we cover. Fresno, roughly 9 miles off, is the closest larger centre, and a share of the providers who cover Clovis run from there.
The closest communities we cover are Fresno (9 miles, a larger centre), Sanger (11 miles) and Selma (18 miles). Providers serving those towns often travel to Clovis too, so it can be worth asking them for a quote.
Our estimate
47,500
How many dog- or cat-owning households Clovis has (estimate)
How we calculated this
129,347 ÷ 2.5 = 51,739 households; × 53% (dog) + 39% (cat) = 47,500. A household with several pets counts once.
Our estimate
3,950
dog and cat deaths per year in Clovis, our estimate
How we calculated this
47,500 dog/cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (dog: 12.69 yrs + cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 3,950 a year. The real figure is unlikely to be lower.
53%[1]
53% of US households own a dog, which is about 71 million households.
12.69 years[2]
US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years.
39%[3]
39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households.
11.18 years[4]
US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years.
The numbers above come from Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science and American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, if you'd like to read the original sources.
How California thinks about cremation, and why prints matter
Cremation accounts for about 70.5%[5] of human deaths in California, so many households already have a shelf or cabinet where family ashes and photos sit. A pet's print tends to join that shelf. That's worth knowing before you choose a format: a clay disc needs a small stand, an ink print suits a frame the same size as your photos, and a print engraved straight onto the urn saves space altogether.
The California percentage above is from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) and refers to human funerals. Treat it as context for Clovis, not as a count of pets.
Weather in Clovis and your pet's print
If you're planning a home goodbye in June, July, August and September, consider booking the vet for early morning. Your pet will be more comfortable before the heat builds, the house is cooler for taking a print, and collection can happen before the afternoon peak. Take the print first, while the morning is still quiet. If you'd hoped to say goodbye outside, a shaded corner of the yard at dawn is kinder than the afternoon sun.
If you plan a 3D cast rather than a flat print, the Clovis heat changes the chemistry. Two-part silicone molding putty and casting resin both set faster when it's warm, so in June, July, August and September you may have only a minute or two to press the paw before the putty firms up. Work in an air-conditioned room, keep the kit in a cool cupboard beforehand and mix only once your pet is settled and in position.
Paw print prices: kits, add-ons and finishing
Some providers include the print in the package. A Virginia crematory, for example, includes a paw print and a fur clipping with every private cremation package, which run $189–$300[6]. Others charge separately: a Northeast crematory network lists $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay print and $111 framed[7]. When you compare quotes in Clovis, check which approach each provider takes.
The full price table by product is on our California 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.
Local rules worth knowing in California
Rules in California mostly cover the practical side of a pet's death: where a body can be buried, how deep, and where ashes may be scattered. None of it stops you taking a print. It's worth knowing, though, because a print set into a stone often goes where the burial or ashes go, and a landlord or homeowners' association can have its own say.
To find your county or city office in California, start with the official California local government directory.
For California's rules on burying a pet at home or scattering ashes, see the California guide. Local rules in Clovis can be stricter than the state's, especially in homeowners' associations and rentals.
Getting a paw print in Clovis, step by step
- 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.
Shelf, wall or garden: where the print ends up
Hot, dry summers are hard on outdoor memorials. An engraved stone or granite marker stands up to sun far better than wood or resin, and placing it in partial shade keeps it from bleaching. If you'd like a living memorial, a biodegradable urn planted with a drought-tolerant tree or shrub suits the valley climate better than a thirsty plant. Water it well through its first two summers.
or see how other readers answered in our polls, browse in-depth guides or recent articles, the planning tools turn your pet's details into figures, For a plain comparison of the choices, open services. More local pages: Fresno, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, the California overview and every city in the United States.
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.
Who would you rather take the print?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What worries you most about taking a print yourself?
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
Why does the Clovis page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) reports about 70.5%[5] of California residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
How many pet owners live in Clovis?
By our estimate, about 47,500 households in Clovis have at least one dog or cat, and around 3,950 are lost each year. We calculate this from the city's population of about 129,347, the average household size and national ownership and lifespan figures, so treat it as a floor rather than an exact count.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Clovis?
The closest communities we cover are Fresno (about 9 miles), Sanger (about 11 miles) and Selma (about 18 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Clovis too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
How does Clovis's weather affect pet aftercare?
July is the hottest month in Clovis, with average highs around 98°F, so prompt collection matters most then. Winters are mild, with average lows staying above freezing, so outdoor burial or scattering is usually possible year round.
Is there free support if making the print brings up a lot of grief?
Yes. Veterinary schools run free pet loss lines: Cornell's Pet Loss Support Hotline is staffed by veterinary students trained by grief counselors[9], and Tufts runs a volunteer helpline on Monday to Thursday evenings, with 24-hour voicemail[10]. Strong feelings while you hold your pet's paw are normal, and some people find the print is the moment it all becomes real. Our guides also cover early grief.
Can my pet's paw print be turned into a tattoo?
Yes, and it's a popular choice. A tattoo artist will want a clear, high-contrast flat print, so an ink or inkless print works better than clay. Scan it at a high resolution and bring the file to your consultation. Many people have the print tattooed at actual size, sometimes with the pet's name or a nose print alongside.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 53% of US households own a dog, which is about 71 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [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] 39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [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] The NFDA projected California's cremation rate at 70.5% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [6] Heavenly Paws Cremations in Chantilly, Virginia, sells private cremation packages at $189 (temporary container), $225 (wooden urn) and $300 (wooden photo urn), each including a paw print and fur clipping. Heavenly Paws Cremations – Packages, 2026.
- [7] 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.
- [8] 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.
- [9] Cornell's free Pet Loss Support Hotline (607-218-7457) is staffed by veterinary students trained by professional grief counselors. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2026.
- [10] Tufts University's Pet Loss Support Helpline (508-839-7966) is free and volunteer-staffed, 6–9 pm ET Monday to Thursday, with 24-hour voicemail. Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 2026.
Ask who takes paw prints in Clovis
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.