Pet owners have a new option for end of life care for their animal companions.

HeavenLee Companion Aquamation, Inc, founded by Dr. Shane Lee and wife Amberly and located near the Bethel community, delivers what they describe as a gentle, eco-friendly alternative to flame cremation and burial through the process of alkaline hydrolysis.

“We were looking at actually starting a traditional crematorium out here, just as a way to offer something closer for people. But through us researching what that would involve we discovered aquamation and thought this would offer people something different,” Shane says.

While there have been a few misconceptions regarding the process of aquamation –Lee said scenes from the television series ‘Breaking Bad’ come to mind–the actual process looks much more like a traditional flame cremation. But instead of the more aggressive fire technique being used to produce the ash, a pet is placed into something a bit more like a warm bath.

Using warm water, a gentle current and a concentrated alkaline chemical –a combination of sodium and potassium hydroxide — the 18 hour process mimics the natural decomposition of organic material. This results in not only a more environmentally friendly approach, but one that allows the Lees to deliver approximately 20% more ashes than traditional cremation.

Like many end of life facilities HeavenLee offers options for the remains of a beloved pet. Personalized urns are available for those wishing to keep the remains, and for those who do not, the Lees offer the option to have the remains scattered at their farm. Paw and nose prints along with locks of hair are available upon request.

“Anything you can do with traditional ashes is available with this. There are people who have things like jewelry or blown glass made using remains. Even though we don’t offer those things, they can be done,” says Amberly.

“We understand this isn’t the easiest topic to talk about, but it is inevitable. and what we really want to do is put people at ease. Pets become an extension of our families, and we love them the same. We wanted to give people a more gentle way to say goodbye to those members of their family,” Shane says.

The aquamation process is available to all pets under 500 lbs.

For more information on services, the Lees recommend speaking with your veterinarian or visit their website at heavenleecompanionaquamation.com.