What Atlanta Families Should Know About Pet Loss During the Holidays
Alpharetta, United States - November 13, 2026 / Heavenly Paws Pet Aquamation /
Losing a pet during the holidays adds practical decisions to an already painful time, especially when offices close. One aftercare option is pet aquamation, a water-based cremation method that uses warm water and an alkaline solution instead of fire. Once pickup is arranged, families often ask how long pet aquamation takes.
In this release, Heavenly Paws Pet Aquamation explains how Atlanta families facing pet loss during the holidays can arrange aftercare around closures and why grief often feels heavier at this time of year.
Why Pet Grief Can Feel Heavier at the Holidays
Pets take part in daily routines and holiday traditions, so families may feel their absence more sharply during the holidays. In 2016, Jeannine Moga, then a veterinary social worker at NC State Veterinary Hospital, said that grieving a pet can feel much like grieving a human family member.
Feelings can shift from moment to moment, and loneliness or exhaustion is normal even when others seem cheerful. Moga also said short breaks from grief can help people heal.
What Atlanta Families Should Confirm Before Holiday Pickup
The company's office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, by appointment, and closed on federal holidays. Service on a federal holiday or after hours adds $150 plus a minimum $100 transportation fee. After-hours service depends on availability and is unavailable after 8 p.m.
Heavenly Paws offers free pickup from partnering veterinary hospitals during regular business hours and charges a transportation fee for pickups from non-partnering hospitals. If a pet dies outside business hours, the company's FAQ says keeping the body at home for up to 24 hours carries little risk when it stays cool and dry. If pickup may take longer than 24 hours, call Heavenly Paws or the veterinarian for guidance on caring for your pet’s remains until pickup.
Individual and Communal Pet Aquamation Options
For individual aquamation, a stainless steel PAWS Tracking ID stays with the pet throughout care to ensure the family receives only their pet’s ashes. The family receives the tag with the ashes. Individual service also includes a biodegradable urn, an ink paw print with a stand, and a fur clipping.
Communal service does not return ashes, although paw prints are available on request.
Ways Atlanta Families Can Remember a Pet During the Holidays
Moga suggested adding an extra star to the tree. The University of Florida’s Small Animal Hospital suggests lighting a candle at dinner, decorating an ornament with the pet's photo, or writing the pet a letter.
The company offers custom paw prints from $30. Its grief support page lists online discussion groups and a pet loss hotline. It also recommends books for adults and children.
Pet Aquamation Pre-Planning Eases Holiday Decisions
Pre-planning puts a family's wishes on file with the company and makes sure the pet's veterinarian knows the plan. There is no financial obligation, and families may prepay to lock in current rates for aquamation and memorial items. Making arrangements before holiday closures can reduce administrative work for Atlanta families while they grieve.
About Heavenly Paws Pet Aquamation
Heavenly Paws Pet Aquamation has served the Atlanta area since 2015 and was the first in Georgia to offer pet aquamation. Heavenly Paws arranges pickups from veterinary hospitals and homes, and its mobile veterinary partners provide in-home euthanasia. The company also offers pet aquamation pre-planning and memorial keepsakes.
Families facing pet loss during the holidays can contact Heavenly Paws directly or schedule a pickup through its website.
Contact Information:
Heavenly Paws Pet Aquamation
225 Curie Dr Suite 230 A, Alpharetta, GA 30005, United States
Alpharetta, GA 30005
United States
Dr. Charles Lobeck Dr. Meredith Stallings
https://heavenlypawsatlanta.com/
