Communal Cremations

What is Communal Cremation?

Communal cremation is where your pet will be cremated with other pets without any means of separation. After cremation is complete, we have no way of collecting only your pet’s cremated remains, so your pet’s cremated remains cannot be returned to you.  Eco-Friendly Water Cremation is used for all communal cremations – it is a gentle and earth-friendly alternative to flame cremation.

We take communal cremation just as seriously as we do partitioned or private cremation. We believe that all pets who come into our care deserve to be honored. Therefore, we save samples from every communal cremation and hold an informal ceremony that pet parents are welcome to attend. This ceremony is held on the first Sunday of the month in February, April, June, August, October, December.

This is how we prepare for the ceremony:

1) After each communal cremation is complete, a small portion of cremated remains is saved and set aside to dry.  We do our best to mix the cremains in a way that ensures inclusion of every pet.

2) Every two months, all the saved dry samples are thoroughly mixed, and then a sub-sample of approximately 1.5 c. is collected.  (At the request of the Whatcom County Health Department, all other cremated remains are handled by local sanitary services.)

3) A list the names of all pets communally cremated since the last ceremony is printed. This list and the small sample of cremains are taken to a location in Bellingham, WA where they are released into a body of water. The name of each pet is read aloud as the remains are released, and a short song (“Goodbye My Friend”) is sung.

2025 Communal Cremation Ceremonies

1:00 p.m. * Location TBA

February 2

April 6

June 1

August 3

October 5

December 7

 If you are interested in joining us, please contact Radiant Heart at 360-778-9578 or [email protected] so that we can send you a reminder.

Goodbye My Friend

(Music & Lyrics by Bobbie Ruth Langley)

Goodbye my friend
I will miss you.

Goodbye my friend
I will remember you.

You taught me patience and how to play.
You stayed beside me through my darkest days.
You never judged me you just sent love my way, my friend.

Goodbye my friend
I will miss you.

Goodbye my friend
I will remember you…
until my dying day.