General

Without proactive questioning, your pet's final destination, it will usually go to an out-of-the-area disposal company that may perform rendering or mass cremation. 

Please move your pet to a cool place away from insects or other predators. Cover and/or wrap your pet with an old sheet or plastic and keep your pets head elevated. Just as in humans, pets lose their bowel control after death. It is a good idea to keep something absorbent underneath them. 

Please call our regular phone number and press option number 3 to leave a message. Someone from our staff will contact you within 20 to 30 minutes. At this time you can make all necessary arrangements and discuss your needs in detail. Note: Afterhours service staff are available: Sunday-Monday, 24/7, however; afterhours fees do apply. 

Yes, after-hour drop-offs can be arranged in advance during the following hours: Sunday - Monday, 24/7. Afterhours fees do apply. 

Upon arrival the pet is weighed, ID tagged and placed in refrigeration until services are performed. 

Sorrento Valley Pet Cemetery and Crematory has been in business since 1955 at the same location. The pet cemetery's ownership has transferred only once and this owner has been in place since 1978. 

Cremation

We only offer PRIVATE cremation to our walk-in customers. Private cremation is a process during which only one pet's body is ever present in the chamber during the cremation process. 

Our standard private cremation process takes 5-7 business days. Same day or next day services are available with an additional fee. 

Cremation is a high intensity heating process that reduces a pet to its bones. These are then processed, packaged and sealed. There are several types of cremation that most pet cemeteries offer, but at SVPC we ONLY offer private cremation. When the cremains are ready to go home you will receive a call from our office. At that point you can:
- Pick up the cremains from our office during business hours
- Have the cremains mailed/delivered back to your home or office (additional fees apply), or
- If you do not wish to have your pet returned to you, we can place them in our scatter garden. 

SVPC has many procedures that assure that your pet is privately cremated and returned to you. When a pet comes into our facility, it receives a label with an identification number and barcode that is then scanned into our computer system. This system is linked to our video surveillance. From that point, each key step in the process is scanned and tracked with the date, time and person performing the service. As needed (for up to 10 days) we can rewind the video recording to review your private cremation. We work very hard to assure that each pet is not only cremated privately, but returned to you in a timely manner. 

Yes. There is the option with an additional fee and scheduled appointment to see the full process. Full viewing will allow you to see the entire process form start to finish. 

Burial

Once your pet has arrived to our facility, a burial can be arranged. The first step is deciding roughly where in the cemetery you would like your pet to rest. We then review our plot system in our computer to see if there is a plot available in your chosen section. If there is, we will assign your pet that space and open up the plot is preparation for a burial. If there is not a space in that section, we will find one as close as possible to your chosen section. The next step is choosing a date and time for your burial. We also need to know how many people will be attending, and if we need to make any special preparations, such as setting up a table or providing a tarp. On the day of the burial, we will have everything ready and you have the option of viewing your pet in our chapel or beside the burial plot before the burial actually begins. We will customize the service to your needs, as we understand everybody is different and may prefer different things. We offer various packaged services from basic to VIP for you to choose from. 

Of course. We do not require headstones in our cemetery, but we do encourage them. They are the perfect way to commemorate your family member. 

The pet cemetery is protected by an endowment care fund that will support operations well into the future. SVPC is the only permanently zoned pet cemetery in San Diego County. 

Yes, please click on the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGooaC1h8E4&feature=youtu.be 

Grieving

Yes. Per the Humane Society, "when a person you love dies, it's natural to feel sorrow, express grief, and expect friends and family to provide understanding and comfort. Unfortunately, the same doesn't always hold true if the one who died was your companion animal. Many consider grieving inappropriate for someone who has lost "just a pet". Nothing could be further from the truth. People love their pets and consider them members of the family. Caregivers celebrate their pets' birthdays, confide in their animals, and carry pictures of them in their wallets. So when your beloved pet dies, it's not unusual to feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your sorrow. Animals provide companionship, acceptance, emotional support, and unconditional love during the time they share with you. If you understand and accept this bond between humans and animals, you've already taken the first step toward coping with pet loss: knowing that it is okay to grieve when your pet dies." 

Many forms of support are available, including pet bereavement counseling services, pet-loss support hotlines, local or online internet bereavement groups, books, videos, and magazine articles. Some recommended books are:
-Animals and the Afterlife by Kim Sheridan
-Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone who has Ever Lost a Pet by Gary Kowalski
-The Last Walk: Reflections on our Pets at the End of Life

While grief is a personal experience, you need not face loss alone. Many forms of support are available, including pet bereavement counseling services, pet-loss support hotlines, local or online internet bereavement groups. You may also want to ask your veterinarian or local animal shelter.

Jose Cherbowsky, Ph.D.
License No MFC 41717 11772
Sorrento Valley Rd, Suite 160
San Diego CA 92121
Phone (760) 420-4971