A Natural Celebration of Life
Friend to Fern helps animal lovers transition their pets to the next stage in their journey with compassionate, eco-friendly pet aftercare. We are the first company in Oregon to use principles of nature to gently and sustainably transform your deceased pet into nutrient-rich soil. We are natural pet deathcare in Portland, Oregon, an alternative to pet cremation.
By way of a process called terramation, or natural organic reduction, your beloved family member becomes part of nature’s cycle of life. Honor your pet’s life in a way that is meaningful to you and mother nature.
ABOUT TERRAMATION
Nature's Cycle of Life and Death
Many pet owners choose cremation, where remains are returned as ashes. This process has no environmental benefit and requires 90% more energy than terramation.
On a farm instead of a furnace, Friend to Fern uses organic materials and time to gently transform your pet’s body into nutrient-rich soil that’s safe to spread in a garden, or plant with a tree or shrub honoring your pet’s life.
Holistic
Organic
Natural
Gentle
FRIEND TO FERN PROCESS
Working with Nature
- Each pet is assigned its own unique cedar-built vessel.
- A metal tag number will be assigned to the vessel to ensure the compost you receive is exclusive to your pet.
- Wood chips, sawdust, and horse manure create a bed with the ideal balance of nitrogen and carbon for your pet’s remains.
- Over a period of 3 months, we add oxygen to optimize the microbial environment and slowly and naturally transform the mortal remains into compost rich soil.
- When the soil is ready, we return it to you in a reusable burlap bag.
Natural Organic Reduction vs Cremation or Aquamation
Cremation:
Uses fossil gas to create heat over 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring 90% more energy than terramation. Through cremation, the body’s carbon matter is released as carbon dioxide gas through exhaust fumes.
Aquamation:
Or alkaloid hydration, uses water to break down tissues and transform pets’ bodies into ashes. Aquamation does not emit toxins like cremation, but it still uses only 10% less energy than traditional flame cremation and most of your pet's body is flushed down a drain. The resultant ashes offer no environmental benefit.
Terramation:
Transforms the body’s organic material, capturing carbon in the created soil, so carbon matter is returned directly into the earth. Composting a pet is a radical way to lighten your carbon footprint.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Using cedar-built vessels, we add air to a compost mixture of wood chips, sawdust, and horse manure to create a bed for your pet’s remains with the ideal balance of nitrogen and carbon. Over a period of 10-12 weeks, we optimize the microbial environment to slowly and naturally transform mortal remains into compost-rich soil. Natural Organic Reduction is a way to honor your deceased pet in the most natural way possible.
Our process takes about 10-12 weeks. We will contact you as soon as your pet’s composted remains are ready.
$500 for cats. $750 for dogs. This includes retrieval of your pet from a home within the Portland metro area, or a veterinary clinic, if needed. We encourage arranging to drop off your pet to us on the Croft Farm on Sauvie Island, a beautiful and peaceful place to say farewell. The cost includes delivery of the finished compost in about 3 months’ time. If you are outside the metro area and would like your deceased pet picked up, please know a moderate additional fee will apply.
