Getting your pet's paw print in Boulder
Boulder has an estimated 39,000 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.
- Ask for a print when you book
- Help for paws, noses and hooves
- We reply by email, no obligation
Boulder, Colorado
How owners in Boulder get a paw print
Many Boulder residents prefer memorials that sit lightly on the land: a biodegradable urn, a tree planted in the garden, a natural stone rather than a polished one. Others choose jewelry or a small urn for indoors. There is no right answer. If you rent, which many people in Boulder do, a portable memorial means your pet can move with you.
Anything placed outdoors in Boulder faces strong sun, dry air, heavy spring snow and winds that can topple light objects. Stone, bronze and well-sealed wood last best. For a tree urn, pick a species suited to the Front Range, plant it in spring and water it through the first dry summers. Wildlife such as deer may browse young trees, so protect them.
Some crematories and keepsake makers serving Boulder are based a drive away, around Denver or along main roads out of town. That's normal, and it doesn't stop you getting a print. Clay prints travel perfectly well once they're dry, and most engravers, jewelers and artists work from a clear photo or scan, so the original never needs to leave your home.
Boulder's population is around 105,689, the 12th-largest of the 36 Colorado communities we cover. The nearest larger centre is Denver, about 24 miles (39 km) away, which is where some providers serving Boulder are based.
Our pages for Louisville (7 miles), Lafayette (9 miles) and Broomfield (12 miles) describe the same choices from those towns' point of view, and the providers overlap, so a quote from one often covers Boulder as well.
Our estimate
39,000
Estimated dog- or cat-owning households in Boulder
How we calculated this
105,689 ÷ 2.5 = 42,276 households; × 53% (dog) + 39% (cat) = 39,000. Homes are counted once however many pets they keep.
Our estimate
3,250
Estimated dog and cat losses in Boulder each year
How we calculated this
39,000 dog/cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (dog: 12.69 yrs + cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 3,250 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.
None of the figures on this this page are ours alone: they rest on American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry and Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Local customs and the keepsake you keep
Because roughly 77.4%[5] of people in Colorado are cremated, ashes jewelry and keepsake urns are familiar here. A paw print pairs naturally with them: an urn engraved with your pet's actual paw, or a pendant with the print on the front and a pinch of ashes inside. If that appeals, ask for a clear flat print that a maker can work from.
We take the Colorado rate from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It is a human statistic; there is no equivalent pet figure for Boulder, and we would rather show a real number than invent one.
Seasons in Boulder and a print that lasts
Clinics and crematories in and around Boulder often keep pets in cold storage before cremation, especially in January, February, March, November and December when collection runs can be delayed by weather. That doesn't prevent a print, but it helps to ask before your pet goes into the cooler. A quick print while the paw is still soft is far easier than one taken later from a cold, stiff paw.
Indoor heating in January, February, March, November and December makes the air in Boulder homes very dry, which is its own problem for clay. A print left near a radiator, wood stove or forced-air vent can shrink unevenly and split along the thin toe edges. Dry it in a cooler room, away from heat sources, and lay a slightly damp cloth loosely over it for the first day to slow things down.
Where the money goes: the print, then the finishing
By our estimate, around 765,000 US families a year[6] are open to a personalized pet keepsake, so providers in Boulder are used to the question. The cheapest route is a home print, which costs only clay and a card. The next step up is a crematory add-on: by our estimate the median is about $32[7], and a clay paw impression can cost as little as $10[8]. Framing, engraving and silver are where totals climb.
Rather than repeat the price table on every city page, we keep one for Colorado: Colorado 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.
Landlords, parks and permits in Colorado
Rules in Colorado 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 Colorado, start with the official Colorado local government directory.
Home burial and scattering are governed at the Colorado level first; our Colorado rules summary has the detail. Then check whether Boulder or your HOA adds anything.
How to make sure a print is taken in time
- 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. Press it gently onto the pads rather than forcing the paw 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, away from heaters and sunny windows, before you frame or post it anywhere.
Turning a print into something lasting
Boulder has a strong arts and crafts community, and some families commission custom pieces: a hand-thrown urn, a small sculpture, a portrait painted from a photo. Others prefer something simple and bought ready-made. Either can be meaningful. Commissioned work takes time, and that delay can be a gift: by the time the piece is finished, you often know better what you want it to say.
Our services overview lays out every option side by side, try the free planning tools, browse in-depth guides or recent articles, or see what other families chose in the poll results. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Thornton, Aurora, Fort Collins and Lakewood, and every city in Colorado.
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.
Where would your pet's print live?
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
How do Colorado attitudes to cremation compare?
NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) puts the Colorado human cremation rate at about 77.4%[5]. We show it on the Boulder page because pet aftercare choices tend to track it: where cremation is normal for people, communal and private pet cremation are both easy to find.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Boulder?
The closest communities we cover are Louisville (about 7 miles), Lafayette (about 9 miles) and Broomfield (about 12 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Boulder too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Boulder?
January, February, March, November and December: average lows are below freezing then, and frozen ground makes a home grave slow or impossible until it thaws. The other pressure point is July, when highs around 88°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
Is Boulder big enough to have several pet aftercare providers?
Probably, on the numbers. By our estimate about 39,000 Boulder households keep a dog or cat and around 3,250 lose one each year, which is enough steady demand to support more than one provider. We derive that from population (about 105,689), household size and national ownership and lifespan figures.
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[10], and Tufts runs a volunteer helpline on Monday to Thursday evenings, with 24-hour voicemail[11]. 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.
How much does a paw print keepsake cost in Boulder?
The print itself is usually inexpensive. US crematories list paw-print add-ons from about $10 to $76, with a median of about $32[7], and some include one in the cremation package. Finishing costs more: engraved paw prints on urns typically add $20 to $35, and paw or nose print pendants start at about $100. Ask providers in Boulder what's already included.
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 Colorado's cremation rate at 77.4% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [6] 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.
- [7] 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.
- [8] Memorial add-ons at A Greener Place: $15 laser-engraved paw print, $10 clay paw impression, $10 nose print, $5 fur clipping. A Greener Place Pet Aquamation – Pricing, 2026.
- [9] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
- [10] 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.
- [11] 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.
Get paw print keepsake ideas by email
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.