frequently asked questions

Specialising in individual cremation for horses has made a big difference to the time it takes to carry out our individual cremations for larger animals. Once we have your horse here at Cherry Tree, you will hear from us between 3-7 days at which point we will let you know he/she is ready to come home.

Our euthanasia page explains the clinic service at Cherry Tree and introduces independent vets who offer home visits. You can find their service and contact details there, and speak to us about cremation arrangements afterwards.

View euthanasia services

Yes, we are here to help on Saturdays from 9am–5pm and Sundays from 10am–4pm. Please give us a call so we can arrange a time for you and your pet.

An additional £58 attendance charge applies after 12:30pm on Saturdays and throughout Sunday.

Ideally, as much notice as possible is always preferred and makes booking an appointment much easier. However we completely understand that as pet owners we can’t always know when the time may come. We will always book an appointment for those that need our services and we will fit you in at the earliest time we can.

Please bear with us on this, we can get booked up. The main reason we run by appointment only is for your benefit. It helps us to keep the appointments for emergency situations.

Yes, Cherry Tree works only by appointment, we understand that sometimes this can be a pain however it keeps appointments free for emergency situations.

When you arrive at Cherry Tree there is an intercom found to the right of the gate, after pressing this we will answer and explain what to do next. Once you arrive outside the reception room we will be there to greet you, we will then gently bring he/she into Cherry Tree and proceed to go through absolutely everything with you. We will also go through any special requirements you may want us to carry out including hair cuttings, paw prints and anything there may be to go with the cremation. Once we have gone through everything we will leave you on your own where there will be as long as you need to spend time with him/her to say your goodbyes. After you feel you have said your goodbyes, we will come and gently carry out individual cremation.  

Yes, we do offer ashes into jewellery and this is carried out in house, everything we keep in stock is here on our website. Please note jewellery isn’t something you need to rush and can be done at any time so long as you still have the ashes.

The ashes section of the Jewellery is made with resin and usually consists of three layers. The first layer is a colour of your choice, the second layer is the ashes layer which can also consist of slightly more colour or just a clear layer, then finally a clear layer to really finish the jewellery off and give the piece that stunning personalised look.

Please allow up to one week for SeeYou jewellery and up to three working days for Acorn ashes pendants and bracelets. Pieces are often ready sooner, but we cannot promise same-day preparation.

Our jewellery prices include filling and preparation. A chain is included only where stated for the individual piece. If you need a separate chain, a jeweller can help you choose a suitable length and style.

Cherry Tree is located about 10 minutes outside of Ashford in a little village called High Halden. The rough distances from common areas clients travel from are as follows:

Maidstone: 35 Mins / 16.5 Miles, 

Aylesford: 39 Mins / 22.2 Miles, 

Chatham: 46Min / 33.4 Miles 

Rochester: 47 Mins / 33.6 Miles

Sittingbourne: 43 Mins / 22.7 Miles

Sheerness: 57 Mins / 35.8 Miles

Canterbury: 45 Mins / 22.8 Miles

Folkestone: 37 Mins / 24.2 Miles

Faversham: 37 Mins / 20 Miles

Dover: 44 Mins / 31.3 Miles

Tonbridge: 43 Mins / 25.7 Miles

Tonbridge Wells: 41 Mins / 22.5 Miles

Hastings: 54 Mins / 24.3 Miles

Our Address: Cherry Tree Pet Crematorium, Pot Kiln Lane, High Halden, Ashford, Kent, TN26 3HJ

We understand that losing a pet does not always happen during normal opening hours. Please call us before travelling so we can talk through what you need and the arrangements we can offer.

Monday–Friday: 8:30am–5:30pm. Someone is on call until 8pm each weekday.

Weekend availability: Saturday 9am–5pm and Sunday 10am–4pm.

An additional £58 attendance charge applies after 5:30pm on weekdays, after 12:30pm on Saturdays and throughout Sunday.

Please call 01233 850929 before travelling. Out-of-hours services are limited; memorial jewellery, laser engraving and the return of ashes are not available during emergency attendance.

We have invented our own bespoke ways of carrying out individual cremation on smaller pets. Therefore we can safely say that no matter the size of your companion, individual cremation is guaranteed. We can carry out individual cremation on anything from a goldfish to a Great Dane.

At Cherry Tree we love personalisation and making our many keepsakes specific to you and your pet is what makes them so special. Before cremation has been carried out we can offer ink or clay foot prints, we can also cut a small clipping of hair for you to keep. After cremation we offer smaller keepsakes which are made to hold a smaller amount of ashes, examples of these would be our wooden keepsake hearts or our memory bears. Photo examples can be found on the website. 

Here at Cherry Tree Pet Crematorium an individual cremation is a cremation where your pet will be handled and cremated entirely on their own.  We do not communally cremate pets and separate ashes afterwards. If you do not choose the service at Cherry Tree it is vitally important that you find out what does happen at the crematorium you intend to use as practices vary greatly.

At Cherry Tree ALL pets are looked after as if they are one of our own. They will be handled and cremated with the utmost care and respect. Each pet is cremated entirely on their own ensuring you recieve only the ashes belonging to that of your pet.

Cherry Tree is NOT involved in the incineration of clinical waste and only carries out genuine individual cremations.

We are also members of the Federation of Private Pet Crematoriums we adhere to a strict code of conduct that assures our cremations are carried out with due respect and that individual cremations really are individual.

Cherry Tree Pet Crematorium now only offers individual cremation.

Clients can choose to have blankets, toys or collars cremated along side their companion, disposed of, or returned to you. Things like carriers and baskets should be taken home with you when you leave Cherry Tree. Any bedding, baskets and carries that are left at Cherry Tree are donated to a local rescue charity.

Payment for our services for horses is taken in advance. Payment for our services for small pets is normally taken in advance, or when you return to collect ashes. 

We can accept cash but for the majority we have card machines on site and can take most major credit/debit cards either over the phone or in person.

Cherry Trees appointments run every half hour, however everyone has different needs when coming to Cherry Tree, some require more time with their loved ones than others. On average, clients spend fifteen minutes with us when collecting ashes and between 20-30 minutes when bringing a pet to us. Please note this is only a rough guide based on experience.

Yes, of course. You are welcome to contact us before you need us, and we can send you a wishes form to fill in and give to your vet. This gives your veterinary practice a record of how you would like your pet to be cared for should anything happen. Please let them know that you would like your pet to come to Cherry Tree.

When the time comes, we will still endeavour to speak with you, to make sure your wishes are up to date and that we have included everything you would like.

To help us get everything right for you and your pet, we do not keep these forms on file, as wishes and circumstances can change. Please give your completed form to your vet and let them know if you update your wishes.

We understand that you may want to bring your companion home as soon as possible. Our standard turnaround is normally the following working day. Same-day cremation is an optional extra costing £70, which you can choose when you are with us. This allows us to plan the additional time and give each family our full attention. Our usual cut-off times are 2:30pm Monday–Friday, 2pm Saturday and 1pm Sunday.

With the same-day option, your pet’s ashes are normally ready within two to three hours. Additional keepsakes or preparation may take longer, and we will agree a time for you to return.

If you need a later arrangement, please contact us beforehand. We may be able to help, depending on staff availability. The additional attendance charge applies outside the times shown in our hours information.

Most people will come and collect their loved one from Cherry Tree and bring them home. After cremation, as soon as your pet is ready to come home we will be on the phone to let you know he/she is ready. We can then make you an appointment to come collect and bring them home where they belong.

We are able to return pets to your home or vets however an additional charge is made for this service. We will NOT return your pet by courier and will only hand deliver the ashes to your home ourselves.

As pet owners ourselves, we understand that you may be anxious about how long your companion will be away from home. Our standard turnaround is normally the following working day. Same-day cremation is an optional extra costing £70, subject to the arrangements explained above.

Until cremation can take place, your pet will rest peacefully in our air-conditioned chapel of rest.

Cherry Tree offers home or veterinary collections for clients who aren’t feeling up to the journey. We are able to collect from your home, or vets by appointment after euthanasia. All of our collections are made in our discreet collection vehicles.

At Cherry Tree all pets are treated with the utmost respect and dignity, as if they are one of our own.  Your pet will be handled very carefully throughout their stay with us.

Here at Cherry Tree we can carry out veterinary and home collections from most areas. Including from the following: Canterbury, Ashford, Medway, Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Hoo, Dover, Folkestone, Hythe, Hastings, Bexhill, Tenterden, Northiam, Rye, Sevenoaks, Dartford, Orpington, Tonbridge, Tonbridge Wells, Manston, Deal, Whitstable, Herne Bay, West Malling, Coxheath, Sandwich, Paddock Wood, Snodland, Rainham, Broadstairs, Battle, Winchelsea, Swanly, and Northfleet.

Other areas at request.