Every way to get your pet's print, and who each one suits
Some prints you take yourself on a sunny afternoon; others a vet, crematory or maker handles for you. With 78%[1] of UK cremation buyers booking through their vet, the clinic is often the easiest place to ask.
- Do-it-yourself kits and hands-off options side by side
- Nose prints, 3D casts, hoof prints and engraving explained
- Written quotes from local providers, sent by email
Option 1
Home print kits: clay, ink and inkless
A kit is the most personal route and the only one where you choose the moment. Clay kits come with a pre-measured disc, sometimes a frame or a ribbon hole; ink kits come with pet-safe ink and card; inkless kits pair a treated wipe with special paper that reveals the print in seconds, with nothing wet left on the fur.
Kits suit calm pets, owners who like to take their time, and anyone planning well ahead for a senior. They're less ideal if your pet is in pain and handling their feet would upset them. Our paw print kit chooser matches a kit type to your pet's size and fur in about thirty seconds.
Option 2
A print taken by your vet or home-visit vet
Many clinics keep clay print kits on hand for euthanasia appointments, and home-euthanasia vets often bring one. That matters because a lot of goodbyes happen at home: by our estimate, ~18.9%[2] of all US dog deaths are in-home euthanasias. That lines up with the Dog Aging Project's study of 646 dog deaths, where almost a quarter of euthanasias took place at the owner's home.
The team can take the print while you sit with your pet, or afterwards so you don't have to watch. Ask when you book, not on the day, and ask whether they use clay, ink or both. If you'd like a nose print too, say so; it isn't always offered unless you ask. Our note on asking the vet team about prints has a short script.
Option 3
A print taken by the crematory before cremation
Pet crematories frequently offer a clay or ink print as an add-on, taken when your pet arrives. It's a good fallback if the clinic didn't do one, or if the loss was sudden. The key is that the request travels with your pet: put it on the booking form and ask the crematory to confirm it back to you. Cost is usually modest: by our estimate the median US crematory charges ~$32[3] for a paw-print add-on, with posted prices running from $10 to $76.
Ask how the print is labelled so it can't be confused with another family's, and whether it's returned with the ashes or sent separately. Our paw print checklist covers identification and proof of return.
Option 4
3D casts in plaster, resin or bronze
For large dogs, or for anyone who wants something that looks like the real paw, a cast is the step up. The paw is pressed into deep impression foam or dipped briefly in a moulding gel, and the mould is filled with plaster or casting stone. From there a maker can reproduce it in resin, or send it to a foundry for bronze.
The mould is the fragile part, so it needs taking carefully. Some makers post a kit and finish the cast in their studio; others will work from a mould your vet takes. Ask how long the mould stays usable once taken and whether they can make more than one copy for the family.
Option 5
Nose prints, engraving and jewelry made from a print
Engravers and jewelers don't need your pet in the room; they need a clear, flat image. A crisp ink or inkless paw or nose print, scanned or photographed straight on, can be laser-engraved on a tag, cast in silver, stamped in gold or etched into glass. Nose prints are particularly popular here because the ridge pattern stays readable even at pendant size. Our article on nose print keepsakes explains how to get a clean one.
Some pieces combine a print on the front with a tiny chamber of ashes behind. It takes far less than people expect; the jewelry ash capacity guide shows how many pieces one pet's ashes could fill.
51% / 70%[5]
Option 6
Framed art, glass, embroidery and tattoo stencils
A single good print can become many things: a shadow box with a photo and collar, a watercolor portrait with the real print as a signature, a fused-glass dish, an embroidered hoop, or a tattoo stencil your artist traces directly. Our guide to paw print jewelry and tattoos covers what jewelers and tattoo artists need from you. Artists usually ask for a high-resolution scan and a few photos of your pet.
Some pet insurance wellness add-ons help with the cost: Embrace's Wellness Rewards could reimburse up to $650[6] toward cremation, burial and keepsakes. Check your own policy wording before ordering. Ideas for framing sit in our guide to displaying prints and pairing engraved tags.
Option 7
Hoof prints for horses, and feet that aren't paws
About 2 million[7] US households own horses, according to the American Pet Products Association, and their owners usually want something sturdier than a clay disc. The usual approach is to pick out and clean the hoof, brush the sole and wall with non-toxic paint, and have the horse step squarely onto a board or stretched canvas held on firm ground. Your farrier can also save a final shoe, and many owners add a braid of mane or tail hair.
Rabbits and guinea pigs print most clearly in very soft clay, and small birds on inkless paper as they walk across it. For any small pet, a vet or keepsake maker who has done it before saves a lot of frustration.
Side by side
Which print service fits your situation
| Service | Who does it | When it must happen | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kit | You, perhaps with family | Any time while your pet is with you | Planners, calm pets, families with children |
| Vet or home-visit vet | Clinic team | At or after the final appointment | Owners who'd rather not do it themselves |
| Crematory print | Crematory staff | Before cremation begins | Sudden losses, missed chances |
| 3D cast | You or your vet, finished by a maker | Mould before cremation; casting later | Large dogs, display pieces, bronze |
| Engraving or art | Jeweler, engraver or artist | Any time you have a clear print | Wearing or displaying a print every day |
Not sure how it all adds up? The memorial budget planner lets you tick the print, the cremation and any jewelry and replace our starting figures with real quotes. Or tell us what you'd like and we'll find who offers it near you. Who offers prints, and at what price, varies a lot by area, so our local pages are a useful next stop. The poll results show which methods other readers went with.
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.
If you could keep one kind of print from your pet, which would it be?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What personal touch matters most on a memorial?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Free tools to help you plan
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Jewelry ash capacity guide
How much ash fits in pendants, rings and glass, and how many pieces one pet can fill.
Questions people ask
Do vets charge for paw prints?
Some clinics include a clay print in their euthanasia or cremation package and others charge it as an extra. There's no standard price, so ask when you book and request a written total. If the clinic doesn't offer one, ask whether you can bring your own kit.
Can the crematory take a print if the vet didn't?
Usually, yes, as long as the request reaches them before cremation starts. Add it to the booking in writing, ask them to confirm it back to you, and ask how the print will be labelled and returned so it can't be mixed up.
What do engravers need to make paw print jewelry?
A clear, flat image. Scan an ink or inkless print at high resolution, or photograph it straight on in soft daylight with no shadows. Most makers can clean up small smudges, but they can't invent pad detail that isn't there, so send the crispest print you have.
Is a 3D cast worth it compared with clay?
It depends on the paw and the purpose. Standard clay discs are often too small for large and giant breeds, and a cast captures the whole paw shape rather than just the pads. If you want bronze or several identical copies, a mould is the way to get there.
Can I get a print from my horse?
Yes. Painted hoof prints on board or canvas are the most common, taken while the horse stands quietly on firm ground. A clay tray impression or a saved final shoe from your farrier are simple alternatives. Ask your vet or equine crematory if they can help on the day.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] In total 78% of UK cremation buyers purchased through, or on the recommendation of, their vet or out-of-hours provider. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [2] About 19% of all US dog deaths are in-home euthanasias. Our estimate: 83.0% euthanised x 22.8% of euthanasias at home = 18.9%. How we calculate.
- [3] 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.
- [4] Only 52% of UK cremation buyers recalled receiving information on the price of the service and different packages. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Veterinary services for household pets, Provisional decision report Part A (Oct 2025), 2025.
- [5] Astute Analytica reports 51% of pet owners are interested in personalized memorials and 70% consider memorialization significant. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
- [6] Embrace's Wellness Rewards add-on could reimburse up to $650 toward cremation, burial and keepsakes. Pet Insurance Review - Does Pet Insurance Cover Euthanasia? (Dec 2023), 2023.
- [7] About 2 million US households own horses. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release, 2025.
Find someone to take or finish a 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.