Why Families Choose Us

Families choose us because they feel safe, supported, and cared for.

Personal Touch

Every pet is honoured as family, with gentle, personalised care that respects their memory.

Compassionate Support

We support you with empathy, patience, and clear guidance through every step of the journey.

Trusted Experience

With years of dedicated service, we uphold the highest standards so you feel fully confident in our care.

Our Process

A clear, gentle guide to what happens next.

Your companion is received with dignity, care, and complete respect. We follow a precise identification and documentation process to ensure certainty at every step.

For individual cremation, ashes are prepared in a satin bag with a personalised certificate before being returned or collected.

Our team remains available afterwards for guidance and ongoing support.

  1. 01 Arrival & Gentle Transfer
  2. 02 Identification & Documentation
  3. 03 Cremation Performed
  4. 04 Preparation of Ashes
  5. 05 Return or Collection
  6. 06 Ongoing Support

How Pet Cremation Works

Pet cremation gently returns your companion’s remains to ash through a controlled, respectful process, offering a clear and reassuring way to honour their memory.

Individual cremation means your pet is placed in their own dedicated chamber, with ashes returned to you.

Shared cremation is performed with other companions, respectfully separated, but ashes are not returned.

We guide families through each option with no pressure — only support.

Trust, Safety & Standards

Chain of Custody

From the moment your companion is in our care, their details are carefully checked and documented. We maintain a clear chain of custody so you can feel confident about each step of the journey.

Respectful Handling

Every pet is treated with quiet dignity. Our team handles your companion gently and respectfully at all times, as we would want for our own animals.

Professional Standards

Our processes are guided by clear procedures and high standards in pet aftercare. We focus on consistency, care, and transparency, so you always know what to expect.

Privacy & Security

Your privacy, and the privacy of your companion’s journey, is treated with respect. We safeguard your information and approach every interaction with discretion and care.

Mel Hyland, founder of Angel Ashes, standing in front of the company vehicle.
Meet Mel

Our Founder

Mel’s commitment to Angel Ashes comes from a deeply personal story. After experiencing uncertainty with her own pet’s cremation, she made a promise: families should never feel the same doubt, fear, or worry she once did.

Mel founded Angel Ashes so every family could receive their pet’s ashes with absolute certainty — handled with care, clarity, and compassion.

Understanding the emotional needs of grieving families, she also created a Pet Loss Support Group, offering a safe place to connect, share, and heal with others who have faced similar loss.

Mel Hyland holding her beloved cat Oakley-Bean in an early photo.
Since 2008

The Beginning

Angel Ashes began in 2008 after Mel’s heartbreaking experience with her beloved cat, Oakley-Bean. Unsure if she had truly received his ashes, she was determined to create a service built on honesty, clarity, and comfort.

From that moment, Angel Ashes was shaped by one guiding promise: your companion’s ashes are returned to you — and only you.

Since then, our team has continued to honour every pet with quiet dignity, respectful handling, and the utmost attention to detail.

Our Promise

At Angel Ashes, our promise is simple:
to care for your pet and your family with dignity, respect, and genuine compassion.

We understand how deep the bond is between you and your beloved companion.
Our role is to honour that bond with a service you can trust — a process you can feel certain about, and care that brings comfort and peace of mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my pet?

Individual cremation means your pet is placed in their own dedicated chamber and clearly identified throughout the process, with their ashes collected separately and returned to you.

Shared cremation involves several companions in the same cycle, kept respectfully separated, but ashes are not returned.

We’ll gently guide you through both options so you can choose what feels right for your family.

Will the ashes really be my pet’s?

Yes. During an individual cremation, each pet is placed in their own dedicated chamber with full identification. Ashes are collected separately and returned to you. Shared cremation is available as a more economical option, but ashes are not returned in that service.

How do I know I’m receiving the right ashes?

We follow a careful identification and documentation process at every stage. Your pet stays clearly labelled and separated so you can feel confident that the ashes you receive belong to them. We are always happy to explain our procedures in more detail if that would bring you comfort.

How long does it take?

The timing can vary depending on the service you choose and current bookings. We’ll explain the expected timeframe clearly when you book and keep you informed so you always know what to expect.

How do I get my pet to you?

You can bring your pet directly to us by appointment. We also offer a free collection service from participating vet clinics, and home collection is available for a fee. Whatever option you choose, we’ll guide you gently through what to expect and make sure you feel supported every step of the way.

Are appointments available after hours?

We understand that loss doesn’t follow business hours. Our online booking system is available 24/7, so you can make a cremation booking at any time and secure the first available appointment.

If you need to speak with someone or feel unsure what to do, please contact us — we’ll do our best to support you and can discuss after-hours options where possible.

Where do you service?

Angel Ashes provides pet cremation services across Adelaide and some parts of South Australia. If you are unsure whether we can assist in your area, please contact us and we’ll let you know how we can help.

What memorial options are there?

We offer a range of memorial options, such as urns, jewellery, and keepsakes, so you can choose something that feels right for you and your companion. Our team can talk you through the options in a gentle, unhurried way.

What payment options are available?

We want the process to feel as stress-free as possible. Angel Ashes accepts all major credit cards, PayPal, and ShopPay.

Flexible payment plans are also available through VetPay, Zip, and Afterpay, so you can choose whatever feels most manageable during a difficult time.