Frequently Asked Questions

Angel’s Paws is a complete pet end of life care company. We take the journey with families from pain to peace, providing comfort and support through every step of the process, from the first phone call to home euthanasia and aftercare. We offer a multidisciplinary approach to support “all” family members through the process, taking care of “both ends of the leash (or cat carrier)”.

Our team is composed of Veterinarians, Registered Vet Techs, Licensed Human Therapists, Chaplains, and Volunteers. As you face the end of your pet’s life, we work with you and your primary care vet to design a plan that gives you the most comfort during (no doubt) one of the most trying times of your life.  We listen intently to what your goals are and design an experience to match. We offer complete end of life services for your pet and your pets family with one phone call. We offer pet hospice, home euthanasia, private cremation, funerals and memorial services, pet loss support groups and grief counseling.  Greater detail for each service can be found under the services tab. We will customize our service to you and your pets specific circumstance to give you as much peace as possible.

Perhaps one of the most heart wrenching struggles a pet parent faces with an aging or terminally ill pet is determining, "when is it time?" It is a struggle because there is no definitive answer. It is subjective, but it is more than that. It stirs up ethical, moral and spiritual questions. It is complex.

Since the number one question we receive as a pet loss professionals is "when is it time?" ... "to end their suffering?" ... "to help them over the rainbow bridge?", we have used the acronym of R.A.I.N.B.O.W. to help pet parents judge their pet's quality of life in a structured way.

Download your free copy of the RAINBOW Scale here.

We accept cash, check and all major credit cards. If money is an issue, don’t let it be. We accept CareCredit which allows you 6 months same as cash, no interest, no penalties. If you are declined CareCredit you may quality for our Angel’s Watch fund. Our Angel’s Watch fund is generously provided by many of our pet parents to honor their pet while financially benefitting others in time of need. If your pet is covered under pet insurance, we are happy to provide invoices or documentation as required by your insurance provider.

Our associated non-profit, Angel's Watch, can accept monetary donations. Donations go towards helping other families who are unable to afford end-of-life care for their pet. We can take physical donations like blankets and beds; however we also highly recommend finding any local shelters near you to donate any supplies to assist with caring for pets in immediate need.

We book our appointments for an hour; however, we never want anyone to feel rushed so if you feel you may need more time, we can discuss alternative options. 

We will provide everything that is needed for the appointment. Consider the space you might want the appointment to take place, we will go wherever your pet is comfortable.

We will have either a Veterinarian or a Registered Veterinary Technician, if we have been able to speak with your regular vet for authorization. If you have a larger pet (>60 pounds) and have elected our cremation services, we may also have ‘Pawbearers’ coming to your home after the appointment. They will be there to help with carrying your pet safely to their vehicle. You are more than welcome to help carry your pet out, however you are never required to. 

Feeling uncertain is common and our trained clinical team members are able to do a physical assessment and discuss any questions and concerns you may have. We will give you honest feedback about your pets' condition. We never want to force anyone into this decision, and we never want a pet to suffer. The euthanasia appointment can be converted to a Quality-of-Life assessment.

At Angel’s Paws, we understand how difficult it is to finally make “the decision” and set an appointment. We also understand that pets can be on a roller coaster during this time, which only adds to the uncertainty. Our cancellation policy is designed to partner with you on this confusing journey.

If you change your mind after setting an appointment - perhaps your pet suddenly rallies or shows signs of joy again - we will not charge a cancellation fee. We will celebrate with you that you may get bonus time together!

We encourage you to schedule a Quality-of-Life Visit with our veterinarian at this point. This allows our vet to observe your pet in your home environment and suggest palliative options to improve comfort during this sacred window. After this visit you will have access to our hospice team for questions, refills and telehealth for up to 12 months.

A $100 cancellation fee applies beginning with the second canceled appointment and beyond. Our goal is to support you so that, when the Rainbow Date does arrive, you feel peaceful and ready.

This really depends on your child, as each will have a different reaction. We encourage being honest with children and answering the questions they have. You do not need to volunteer information beyond their questions. The idea is that they can handle the information about the question they are asking. Usually a child’s imagination is worse than the reality of the appointment when the appointment is performed by a sensitive, loving professional like our dedicated team members.

Yes, sibling pets are welcome to be present during the euthanasia appointment, as long as they are not a distraction to you or your pet. We want to ensure that the focus is your pet that we are visiting.

We encourage allowing sibling pets to see the other pet afterwards to allow them to understand what happened and get closure. For pets that might be too hyper/protective, our staff will step out for several minutes of privacy to allow these pets to get the chance to say goodbye as well. 

If you are outside of our service range, or you are uncomfortable with the appointment occurring at your home that is no problem at all. We have a room at our building in Blue Ash that is very similar to a family room with a couch, pet bed, and blankets. We are more than happy to accommodate families at our building for any appointments. We have also done appointments outside or at a private setting at a park if that is more comfortable for you and your pet. 

Any level of participation you feel comfortable with is allowed. There is no requirement for you to be present if you do not feel comfortable. We also welcome families to continue to love on their pet during the whole appointment. If you have elected our cremation services, after the appointment you are welcome to help carry your pet to the vehicle, or we can carry your pet to the vehicle. We welcome final goodbyes at the vehicle, but it is not a requirement. There are no wrong choices, simply make the best decision for you and your family. 

It is very normal as your pet fully relaxes into their deep sleep that their bladder or bowels may release. Our clinical team members will place a potty pad under them after they are sleeping to help contain any release.

No, there are no restrictions. One of our favorite sayings is that "their last day doesn't have to be their worst day" so feel free to treat them to anything you would like. If your pet has any normal medications feel free to give it to them, however if it causes a lot of stress, it does not need to be given. 

After your pet passes you will have three options:

• Private cremation – Your pet’s body will be transported to Angel’s Paws for cremation. A private cremation is when the pet is placed in the crematory alone and the pet owner is assured of getting their own pet’s ashes back. This is the Angel’s Paws standard.

• Communal Cremation – Your pet will be cremated with other pets and you do not receive your pet’s ashes back. Angel’s Paws does offer this service as an option.

• Burial – You may choose to bury your pet at your home or a pet cemetery. Angel’s Paws does not assist with burial arrangements, but will provide a burial bag.

We like to be as discreet as possible to respect your privacy during this difficult time. We will arrive in a Toyota Prius. Small pets will be snuggled in a pet bed. We assure you that your large pet will fit beautifully! 

We will provide a bed or cot for travel. Once your pet safely arrives at our building in Blue Ash, they will be tucked in with a blanket and a pillow the entire time in our care. If you have a favorite blanket or toy you would like them to stay with that is absolutely allowed! We are unable to cremate anything that is not 100% natural, however any items brought with your pet will either be returned or donated based on your wishes. You may also feel free to take any collars off after the appointment, or we can also return or donate it. 

We never utilize freezers. Once your pet is in our care they will stay with a pillow and a blanket the entire time. We have an air-conditioned room that we call the bedroom that our pets stay in overnight after being carefully tucked in and prior to cremation.

Your pet stays in the care of our Angel’s Paws team the entire time. Our crematory is located at our facility in Blue Ash. Your pet will be tucked in with a pillow and a blanket and treated with the utmost care, love and respect they deserve. 

Angel’s Paws owns and operates our own crematory at our facility in Blue Ash.

• A private cremation is when the pet is placed in the crematory alone and the pet owner is assured of getting their own pet’s ashes back. This is the Angel’s Paws standard.

• An individual cremation is when the pet is placed in the crematory with other pets and therefor the cremation can cost less, but pet parents need to know their pets are not being cremated alone. Angel’s Paws does not provide this type of cremation.

• A communal cremation is when your pet is cremated with other pets and you do not receive your pet’s ashes back. Angel’s Paws does offer this service.

Yes. A private cremation is when the pet is placed in the crematory alone and the pet owner is assured of getting their own pet’s ashes back. This is the Angel’s Paws standard.

We also offer witness cremation where you can help place your pet into the crematory if you wish. 

Angel’s Paws offers private cremation. Your beloved pet is tracked closely from the moment they arrive through our proprietary Angel's Paws Starfish® system. We liken our facility and process to them being checked in to a 5-star hotel. They will be loved on the entire time and given a beautiful blessing on their final journey. We specialize in private cremation, one pet in the crematory at a time, assuring that the ashes you receive back are those of your pet and only your pet. We have 6 private cremation chambers in our facility.

We will reach out with a text message and an email within 3 days of the appointment. If your pet can come home early, we will make sure to reach out as soon as they are ready. Within the email there will be a link to schedule a time to come and pick up your pet’s ashes. If you selected delivery, we will call you when your pet is able to come home to set up a good time for us to bring them home. 

We have two chapels at our facility in Blue Ash. The chapels are peaceful spaces we have created for your family to take a private moment to receive your pet’s ashes back. Our chapels are pet friendly and you can bring sibling pets with you. There are a few memorial activities that you can do to begin the healing process. Chapel time is not a requirement at all. 

If your pet passes on their own at home, you may still use our cremation services. Please call to make arrangements so we can take your pet into our loving care at our facility in Blue Ash, Ohio. We can help with either transporting your pet to our building or you can bring your pet to us. We ask that you park in a specific parking spot, indicated by a rainbow, to ensure the most privacy during this difficult time. You will be received into a private room, allowing you a moment to say goodbye. If this is outside of our business hours, we invite you to watch this video for some helpful tips on caring for your pet until we can guide you further.

If you choose to have your vet perform the euthanasia of your pet, you may still use our cremation services. Please let your vet know that we will come promptly when they notify us, as we prefer, like you, that your pet not go in a freezer. In this way, we partner with your vet to provide for the complete dignity and respect of your pet. We will inform you once your pet is safely at our building so that you are always in the know about where your pet is. 

Yes, we offer a wide range of keepsake options. Clay paw prints, foam paw impressions, ink paw prints, ink nose prints, fur clippings, urn engraving, photo urns, and various necklaces that can hold your pet’s ashes. We are able to personalize many of our jewelry items. Please reach out to us with any questions, picture examples and pricing information. 

We like to add your pet’s photo to their profile in our Starfish® database to assist in tracking. If you selected a photo urn, we will add your provided photo to the urn. We also have a lot of photos printed on our workspace walls for us to look at throughout the day. Please do not feel required to send in a photo and it is not an immediate request if it is causing any stress. 

That is not a problem at all. We will keep your pet’s ashes for at least 6 months. We will try to contact you before we do anything with your pet’s ashes. Please discuss with us if you have any concerns with timing and being able to pick up your pet. 

If you choose to have communal cremation, we will place your pet along with friends in our ossuary. This is located at Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky and we are more than happy to provide directions with more information so you can visit. You are also always welcome to visit our building in Blue Ash, Ohio to complete some memorial activities. 

Yes, you can opt for keepsakes like fur clippings, nose prints, paw prints and paw impressions.

When communal cremation is elected, we cannot provide any keepsakes that include ashes, such as cremains jewelry, as communal cremation includes other pet’s ashes. If you would like to receive your pet’s ashes or keepsakes that include their ashes, please select private cremation.

Every child is different for the best way to go about explaining what is going on with the pet. Angel's Paws founder, Tammy Wynn, co-wrote a children’s book called Gaining Wings that helps both children and parents navigate the loss of a pet. Please reach out to us on more information on how to get a copy of this book to help you and your family, or visit: gainingwings.com

Grief counseling is individualized, professional therapy focused on processing grief from the loss of a pet. Support groups are facilitated, communal settings for sharing experiences and reducing isolation.

Call us if you are interesting in scheduling a Grief Counseling appointment. 513-489-7297.

If you are interested in joining an upcoming Support Group, RSVP to SupportGroup@AngelsPaws.com or call 513-489-7297 to receive information. 

Pets bring unparalleled joy and comfort into our lives. When they leave us, their absence can be deeply felt, and grieving their loss is a natural and important part of the healing process. Beginning with a chapel return at Angel’s Paws, you can participate in activities such as journaling and writing your pet’s name on a Lego to be added to our rainbow sculpture.

• Share their story - Writing about your pet's life can be therapeutic. Create a tribute page for your pet on our website by completing the Pet Tribute submission.  Once posted, your friends and family will be able to "light a candle" and share memories as well.

• Donate in their name - Make a memorial donation to your favorite animal rescue or our non-profit, Angel's Watch, at www.angelswatch.ngo. This act of kindness helps other animals in need and creates a loving legacy for your pet.

• Connect with other pet loss grievers - Connecting with others who are experiencing the same feelings can have a profound impact on the healing process. Angel's Paws offers facilitated support groups. Each week, you will learn about a topic, and come together in a virtual small group for discussion. RSVP to SupportGroup@AngelsPaws.com or call 513-489-7297 to receive information. 

• Do something they loved - Ice Cream?.. Indulge yourself!  Chasing butterflies?.. Visit a botanical garden!  Swimming in the creek?.. Take a canoe trip!  Just watching the world go by? Do that!  Our pets teach us many lessons like living in the moment, embrace their teachings!