At Seacoast Animal Health Center, we believe that saying goodbye to a beloved pet should be as thoughtful and personal as the life you shared together. That’s why we’re proud to offer aquamation, an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional cremation that honors your pet with dignity, care, and compassion.
As a team, we have personally visited the aquamation facility we work with, seen the process firsthand, and trust in the respect and professionalism they bring to every step. We are proud to partner with Peaceful Waters Aquamation, a local San Diego small, women-owned business committed to sustainability, transparency, and meaningful memorialization.
Why Choose Aquamation?
Aquamation (also known as water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis) is a gentle process that uses water and natural alkali instead of flame to return your pet’s body to its elemental form. It’s the same natural process that occurs in the soil over time, simply accelerated in a controlled, respectful environment.
Compared to flame-based cremation, aquamation offers many environmental and emotional benefits:
- Eco-conscious: Uses 90% less energy than traditional cremation and produces no harmful greenhouse gases
- No burning or flame involved
- No fossil fuels consumed
- 20% more ash remains returned to your family — a softer, finer ash that is easier to scatter, display, or memorialize
- Comparable or even lower in cost than traditional cremation
In a community like ours where sustainability matters, aquamation offers a truly modern, meaningful way to honor your pet and the planet.
How It Works
- Your pet is gently placed into a warm water solution of 95% water and 5% alkali in a secure, stainless-steel vessel.
- Over the course of approximately 24 hours, the process naturally breaks down the soft tissue, leaving only the mineral structure of the bones.
- These remaining bone fragments are carefully dried and reduced into a soft, sand-like ash.
- The ashes are returned to you in a dignified urn or vessel of your choosing.
This process is completely respectful and non-invasive. Because we know the facility, we feel confident in both the science and the heart behind the work.
Memorial Options
Our aquamation partner, Peaceful Waters Aquamation, offers a wide range of creative and meaningful ways to memorialize your pet. Whether you are looking for something traditional like an urn or pawprint keepsake, or something truly one-of-a-kind, we encourage you to ask.
They have helped families with everything from custom jewelry, urns, and artwork to more unique requests like taxidermy or cleaned skull displays. In their hands, no request is too unusual if it helps you remember your pet in a way that feels true to you.
Let Us Walk With You
We are honored to provide not just veterinary care, but whole-life and end-of-life support for the animals you love. Aquamation is just one of the many ways we help our clients navigate loss with grace, honesty, and care.
If you’re considering aquamation for your pet — now or in the future — please reach out to our team. We’re here to walk you through the process, answer your questions, and ensure your pet is remembered in a way that reflects your love and values.
