FAQs

We offer appointments at our facility in Oconomowoc between the hours of 8am-5pm Monday – Friday. After hours appointments are available upon request for an additional fee. We kindly request that you call ahead to schedule an appointment to offer families uninterrupted time while bringing their pets into our care. We will take care of your needs from there.

We realize that death comes at all hours on any given day, so we do have an answering service available 24 hours per day. However, to keep costs of our services affordable, we have limited the availability of staff to bring pets into our care during the overnight hours and on Sundays. Most families have found they are able to keep their pet at home until our professional staff is available to assist. If your pet passes away outside of our regular business hours, we have provided some steps to care for your fur baby until then:

• You may snuggle your pet in their favorite blanket or bed.
• Be sure to put some plastic under the nose and tail as fluids may be lost.
• Place your pet in a cool, dry place away from other animals.

That is a very personal decision and only one you can make. However, the majority of pets in our society are cremated and there are several reasons for this. First, in many urban communities, laws and ordinances make it illegal for owners to bury their pets in the back yard. Second, if you did choose burial, it would more than likely require you to bury your pet in a designated pet cemetery. This option tends to be expensive and the closest option is in the Cleveland area. If you are able to bury on your own property, there are many times during the year that our harsh winter climate prevents families from being able to perform a burial. Third, cremation is an affordable and simple option that often did not exist in the past. Fourth, bringing your pet home after cremation provides you with a memorial than can be visually cherished and help you and your family work through your grief journey. Finally, with our society becoming so much more mobile, choosing cremation gives you the ability to take your pet's cremated remains with you if you move to another home.

Yes. People typically choose their veterinarians for their heroic life-prolonging or sustaining capabilities. Though many veterinarians have some knowledge of the cremation process, this is not their specialty. However, by using our facilities to handle your pet's cremation, you can rest assured that you are getting a professional who has been highly trained and has extensive experience when it comes to cremation. Though your veterinarian has been a trusted advisor to you when it comes to your pet's health, it only makes sense to seek out a death care professional when it comes to a pet's death care needs. Many local veterinary clinics will have our information and authorization forms on site, and will assist you with filling them out. If you find your veterinary clinic uses another pet cremation provider, you are always able to contact us directly and we will assist you with the process. You can inform your veterinarian that we will pick up your beloved pet and provide dignified transport to our facility at no additional charge.

No. Most states do not regulate pet crematories. Thus, the quality of their facilities, services and staff can vary widely. What most pet owners don't realize is that the majority of pet cremation providers are not even located in their community. We have local veterinary clinics and funeral homes who offer pet cremation services, but your pet is usually transported to Cleveland, Grafton or Toledo for the cremation process, along with multiple other pets picked up at different locations. Although there are preventative measures in place from these services, this does allow for errors and mistakes when so many people and companies are involved in the care and custody of your pet.

By selecting Pagenkopf Family Pet Cremation Services, our staff is the only staff caring for your pet from start to finish, so your pet never leaves our care or our facility. We own and operate our crematory in Oconomowoc, WI so we are local. We are fully committed to ensuring your furry family member is cared for with the respect and dignity he or she deserves. 

Since there is very little regulation in the pet industry, the best thing you can do is to contact us directly. If not possible, then we advise that you ask your Veterinarian or the Cremation Provider directly the following very important questions:

• Where is the crematory located? Most families are shocked to learn that their pet is going to be transported several hundred miles away.
• May I inspect the facility where my pet's cremation will take place?
• How will my pet be transported to the crematory?
• How and where is my pet kept until cremation?
• When will my pet be cremated and returned to me? Many are shocked to learn that their beloved pet is going to be held in a freezer at the Vet's facility for several days if not a week or more before they are picked up by a standard cremation provider. Then, it is going to be another week before their pet's cremated remains are ready for pickup.

No. Often family members will wrap their pet in a favorite blanket or some other personal article of meaning to the pet or family members, but nothing is required from the family. The only exception is when a private family viewing of the cremation is selected. In these instances, a minimum cremation container is required.

The option to purchase an urn or keepsake item is available in our office at the time we meet and make arrangements. 

By using Pagenkopf Family Pet Cremation Services, you receive a much quicker response when your pet passes away either at your home or veterinary clinic since your pet is not being transported out of town. We are trained to respond quickly and can be available to transfer your pet into our care right away. This means you can have your pet's cremated remains available for return usually within 72 hours of us receiving your pet. This is not the same timeline for all other pet cremation providers in our area. Some veterinarian clinics or funeral homes will have to hold your pet in a freezer at their facilities for upwards of a week until the cremation provider they use makes its next scheduled visit to their clinic. Then, it may be another week before the urn is ready for you to pick up. Please be sure you ask important questions at your veterinary clinic or when contacting a funeral home to ensure you understand their cremation provider's services. You are always able to contact us directly as well.

Pagenkopf Family Pet Cremation Services is the only area cremation provider that offers Pet Remembrances, which are online memorial tributes to your furry family members. Pet Remembrances are available for $30 for any pet cared for at Pagenkopf Family Pet Cremation Services. These beautiful remembrances will also be shared on our Facebook page. If you would like a Pet Remembrance online obituary published to pay tribute to your pet’s loyal devotion, please email us the following information:

• Pet’s Name
• Pet’s Date of Birth
• Pet’s Date of Passing
• Any information you would like to add about your pet
• Favorite stories about your pet
• A tribute to your pet (such as a song, poem or quote)
• Your favorite photo of your pet
• Your name
• Your phone number
• A favorite photo of your pet

Our highly trained funeral professionals understand how important it is to properly say goodbye to every member of your family. These comforting moments offer you and your family the opportunity to share stories about your beloved pet and say your final goodbyes. We will schedule a time that allows you and your family the opportunity to view your pet and say goodbye prior to the cremation in our private viewing area. You will also have the option of witnessing the beginning of the cremation, if you so choose. Our staff will accompany you to offer support and answer any questions you may have. There is an additional fee for this service, and also requires the purchase of a cremation container for the safety and respect of all staff and family members present for viewing.