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Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital

End of Life Arrangements

Our pets are members of our families and being faced with end-of-life and aftercare decisions can be upsetting and overwhelming. 

During this difficult time, we would like to offer our support and guidance. Please call us at (603) 433-0056 if you have any questions after you leave our hospital. We hope that you find some comfort in the memories of your pet and how those memories may one day replace your sorrow.

Cremation Services

Cremation Services are provided by Forget-Me-Not Pet Crematory.

For more information on the process, fees, and urn choices, please call or go to their website: www.forget-me-notpetcrematory.com.

Address: 80 Lyman Street, Northboro, MA 01532 Phone: (508) 393-0133 Email: [email protected]

GENERAL CREMATION:

If you have chosen General Cremation (you do not wish to have your pet’s ashes returned to you), no further action is needed on your part. Payment for this service is collected by a Port City team member at the time of your visit. If you have requested an ink paw print card, the card will be mailed to the address you have provided us in approximately one week. Forget Me Not will scatter your pet’s cremains at the Animal Rescue League’s Pine Ridge Pet Cemetery in Dedham, MA.

PRIVATE CREMATION

If you have chosen Private Cremation (you do wish to have your pet’s ashes returned to you), payment for today’s service will be collected by a Port City team member at the time of your visit, and the charge for private cremation will be paid directly to Forget Me Not. The payment for the additional fee for private cremation is based on the weight of your pet and the urn option and memorial products you select.

Forget Me Not will contact you via email to confirm your decision, explain all options, collect your payment, and answer your questions. If you would prefer, you can call Forget Me Not at (508) 393-0133. If Forget Me Not is unable to reach you within 72 hours, your pet will be cremated as a general cremation.

You may choose to have your pet’s ashes returned to you in a complimentary cedar urn, or you may select a decorative urn or pendant. All urn choices can be viewed on Forget Me Not’s website, along with more information about their services. If you have requested an ink paw print card from Forget Me Not, the card will stay with your pet’s remains and you will receive them together. If you would like a clay pawprint this can be requested with Forget Me Not as well.

Additional Options

If you would like to bring your pet home for burial, we will place your pet in a cardboard casket. If you request an ink paw print card, the card will be given to you before you leave Port City. We have a 72-hour limitation to hold remains at our hospital. If you are unable to bring your pet’s body home with you immediately following your visit, a holding fee will apply. Please call us in advance (minimum 4 hours) to arrange a time to pick up your pet’s remains.

You may make arrangements for a different pet funeral service to pick up your pet’s remains if you prefer. Once arrangements are in place, please be sure to contact us with the name of the funeral service as well as the date and time of pick-up to facilitate a smooth transition.

You and your pet deserve to be treated with the utmost respect at this time. We are available to answer any and all questions that you may have regarding this painful process.