The bereaved lit incense and eventually broke down in tears for their beloved pet frog, which had passed away after two years and five months due to illness. The memorial photo showed the frog with its eyes sparkling. “I couldn’t bear to bury it in the cold ground or put it in the freezer,” said its owner, Seo Jin-young (32). “I wanted to cremate it as soon as possible while it was still intact.” Seo took a half-day off work to visit a small animal funeral home in Gasan-dong, Seoul.
The frog was placed in a small coffin. The funeral, though brief, followed human-like procedures: cleansing, a memorial service, and cremation. Some services offer custom burial clothes for pets. After a final farewell and prayers with a funeral director, the frog was cremated, and its ashes were collected in a small urn an hour later. Seo said, “Regardless of type or size, it was my precious family. The funeral eased my sorrow and allowed me to say goodbye peacefully.”
For Shin Min-jeong (22), her pet was an African giant snail she had cared for over three years, raising it “like a son.” When the snail passed away last October, Shin initially considered either keeping just the shell or burying it in a pot but worried it would make her too sad later. After learning about hamster funerals, she decided to give her snail a proper farewell. The service was held at a small animal funeral home in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, and she was able to keep the shell as a keepsake. “I’m keeping it at home and plan to have it placed in my coffin with me one day,” Shin said.
In South Korea, with 15 million pet owners, the diversity of pets has broadened. According to a July report by Open Survey, the most common pets are dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, turtles, snails, parrots, and lizards. As beloved companions, their final farewells are evolving. With current laws prohibiting the burial of pet bodies and requiring disposal via veterinary clinics or standard garbage bags—a somewhat impersonal method—many owners are opting for more respectful farewells. The number of specialized funeral services for small and exotic animals has exceeded 10 nationwide. A KB Financial Group report found that 64.5% of pet-owning households are open to using such services.
Small animals generally refer to pets weighing less than 1 kilogram. Ham Ji-yoon (33), a funeral director at the pet funeral service 21 Gram, said, “We’ve had hedgehogs, turtles, goldfish, snakes, and even centipedes,” adding, “The demand is growing with the active small animal community.” The crematorium’s heat is carefully adjusted to prevent the ashes from scattering, and funeral items are customized to their size. “Some may find it strange, but to the owners, they are family, no different from dogs or cats,” Ham added. “Some choose to store the ashes in a columbarium to avoid the emotional distress of seeing them at home.”
Small animal funerals are particularly popular among younger generations. Choi Ho-yeon (27) from the pet funeral service Four Paws, said, “Most pet owners are young, and recently even a middle school student used their allowance to arrange a funeral for their pet.” Choi added, “While funerals are naturally somber, young owners often come with their parents and say their final goodbyes in a more relaxed manner.” Costs typically range from 150,000 to 200,000 won. Many in their 20s opt to have the ashes made into memorial stones or jewelry, such as necklaces.
