As the pet industry grows, so does the business of pet death care

BALTIMORE — When Richard Thompson’s wife of 40 years was nearing the end of her life at a Baltimore County hospital, he couldn’t fathom living alone. His two beagles had died unexpectedly earlier this year, but a new rescue beagle named Tucker was the godsend he needed.

Thompson, 73, of Baltimore, adopted Tucker from Beagle Rescue of Southern Maryland in May. The beagle has been a confidant for the retired school teacher since his wife died in June.

“This dog was a miracle because he was there. He loved to be with us. He’s such a sweet dog,” Thompson said. “I put him up on her bed. She met him. She said, ‘You made a good choice.'”

For people like Thompson, pet parenting is sacred. Their animals are much-loved family members who provide support across many stages of life — and as ownership grows and the roles of pets evolve, so does demand for their death care.

The 5-year-old heavyset beagle appeared tuckered out as he waddled into the Dulaney Valley Pet Loss Center, a new pet funeral home that opened in September. The pair came to check out Dulaney because Thompson plans to use it for Tucker one day.

If it’s good enough for humans

The pet death care business is growing exponentially, in proportion to what’s happening with pet ownership and pet expenditures, said Coleen Ellis, who was hired by Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens as a consultant for the pet loss center.

“I think the need has always been there,” but pet parents have pushed for it more lately, she said. “I think this is the one area that was probably lacking for all these years.”

Ellis, who lives in Texas, is an expert on pet loss and trends. She opened the first standalone pet funeral home in the U.S. in Indianapolis in 2004. It provides the experiential parts of a funeral without a cemetery or a crematory, she said.

People who consider themselves pet parents, as opposed to pet owners, often believe that if it’s good enough for people, then it’s absolutely perfect for pets, Ellis said.

“I think it’s gotten to a point where a lot of people have said, ‘I did all these things while they were alive. I want to make sure their final moments here, their final walk is exactly like they lived — memorable, beautiful, special and unique, just like they were,” she said.

A growing pet industry

The national pet industry exceeded $123.6 billion in sales last year, the highest in history, according to the American Pet Products Association, a trade association serving the interests of the pet products industry.

This was the second consecutive record-setting year for the industry, following a banner year in 2020, which for the first time exceeded $100 billion in sales, according to the APPA. There were spending increases in every category including death care and grief supplies.

Purchasing something to memorialize a pet upon its death is something more pet owners say they plan to do, according to the APPA National Pet Owners Survey. The APPA reported, for example, that 52% of dog owners in 2018 said they would purchase something upon the death of their pet, while 2020 saw 61% and, for cat owners, 42% to 57% for the same years.

The 2020 survey showed that most people would buy an urn for ashes or a memorial stone for the home or yard and caskets. Just under 10% of pet owners say they would purchase memorial jewelry upon the death of their pet.

The percentage of U.S. homes with pets reached an estimated 70% in 2022, according to the APPA. Ellis attributes an increase in pet ownership to millennials and baby boomers with their “empty nest syndromes,” referring to the grief parents sometimes feel when their children move out.

“They weren’t ready to be empty — so they got a pet,” she said. “Then you’ve got the millennials, who waited for a while to have children. And so you’ve got both of those, which represent our largest population demographics in our country. You’ve got both of them who embraced it.”

Changes in pet death care trends

Pet death care options were on full display at the National Funeral Directors Association International Convention & Expo in Baltimore in October.

Although cremation has become more popular in recent decades, there’s now another burial alternative: aquamation. Indiana-based Bio-Response Solutions describes its aquamation services as a more eco-friendly alternative that’s less harsh than flame cremation.

Vice president of research Samantha Sieber said the bones of bats or goldfish, for example, would be destroyed during traditional cremation but can be saved through aquamation.

Aquamation or alkaline hydrolysis uses water, alkaline chemicals, heat and sometimes pressure and agitation to accelerate natural decomposition.

“We thought we’d get the people who are eco-friendly, but we hear personal stories about pets that died in a house fire,” Sieber said. “It’s hugely common because they just can’t imagine a fire cremation after their pet suffered that kind of death.”

Other cases include pets who loved spending time in the water, she said. The cremated remains can then be turned into stones or used in jewelry.