Comparing providers
Looking for an alternative to Rupert's Pet Cremation?
Small independent crematoria are usually the right call. The differences between two good ones come down to identification, inclusions and who picks up the phone at night — so those are the three we set out here.
We do not publish other companies' prices, turnaround times or operating details on this page. Providers change how they work, and a comparison table written by a competitor is not a fair source. What follows is what we do, and the question we would want a family to ask us.
What to compare, point by point
The left column is what Harbourside does. The right column is the question we would want you to put to Rupert's Pet Cremation — and to us.
| What matters | Harbourside | Ask Rupert's Pet Cremation |
|---|---|---|
| Individual cremation | Individual only. One companion in the chamber at a time, never partitioned, never shared — there is no communal option on our price list. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “Is my pet alone in the chamber, or is the chamber divided between several pets at once?” |
| Proof it is your pet | SafeHarbour Verification: a numbered stainless tag stays with your companion from collection to return, with each stage logged on your private tracking page. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “How is my pet identified at every stage, and can I see that record?” |
| Who answers the phone | Alby or Rachael, personally, at any hour — including nights, weekends and public holidays. The number is 0493 814 474. There is no call centre and no answering service. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “If I ring at 2am, do I reach the person who will actually collect my pet?” |
| After-hours and weekend fees | No after-hours surcharge, no weekend surcharge, no public-holiday surcharge. The package price is the price. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “Is there a surcharge for after-hours, weekend or holiday collection?” |
| Published prices | Every companion package and weight band is listed publicly, from $430 for an individual cremation with ashes returned. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “Can I see the full price list, including every weight band, before I commit?” |
| What is included | An ink paw print, a clipping of fur, and a signed Certificate of Individual Cremation with every package — not sold as extras. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “What is included in the price, and what is charged separately?” |
| Return of ashes | Usually within 5–7 business days, hand-delivered or collected in person wherever distance allows, rather than posted. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “How long will it take, and will my pet's ashes travel by courier?” |
| Tracking | A private tracking link is issued to every family, showing each verified stage as it is completed. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “Can I see where my pet is in the process without having to ring and ask?” |
| Aftercare | Free grief resources to download, a free public tribute page for your companion, and no time limit on how long we hold ashes for you. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “What support is there after the ashes come home, and is it charged for?” |
| Independent feedback | 132 Google reviews at 5.0 stars, published on our Google Business Profile where we cannot edit them. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “Where can I read reviews you do not control?” |
| Individual cremation for horses | Individual large-animal cremation, one horse at a time, with the same numbered SafeHarbour tag system used for companion animals. | Question to ask Rupert's Pet Cremation: “Is my horse cremated individually, and will the ashes returned be only my horse's?” |
Three practical differences worth checking
- Identification: a numbered stainless tag that travels with your pet and returns with the ashes, logged at every stage — not a paper docket.
- Inclusions: paw print, fur clipping and signed certificate on every package, never quoted as extras.
- Species: horses, ponies, steers and alpacas cremated individually by the same team, so one household never needs two providers.
Where we collect from
Companion animals from Port Macquarie to Ballina and west to Nana Glen, including Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Grafton, Yamba, Byron Bay and Lismore.
Horses and large animals across a much wider footprint — Brisbane and the Gold Coast through the Northern Rivers and Hunter to Sydney, the Illawarra, the Southern Highlands and west to Tamworth.
The same six questions, for anyone
Ask us and ask them: is the cremation genuinely individual, how is my pet identified, is after-hours charged extra, what is included, how long until the ashes come home, and where can I read reviews you do not control. If any answer here does not match what you are told on the phone, we would want to know.
Verified on Google
What families say after their companion comes home
5.0 out of 5132 Google reviews
They dropped everything to be here the day I lost my boy.
“I could not recommend Alby and Rachael highly enough to take care of your beloved fur family. The empathy and support they provide is second to none. They made an already difficult process so reassuring. And I trusted them to take the best of care of my boy.…”
Stephanie ThompsonChampion Jockey · Sky Racing Expert Commentator · Gold Coast QLD · with her heart horse “Dunk” Treated with such kindness from the very first call.
“Alby and the Harbourside team were so kind and compassionate when we lost our beloved Lydian. From the first phone call we felt looked after — nothing was rushed, nothing was outsourced, and every detail was handled with such care. Having him returned home to…”
Lydia SmithFor Lydian · Google Review They understood she was family, not ‘just a bird’.
“Our cockatiel Pippa was with us for 18 years — through three house moves, two kids growing up, and every morning coffee on the verandah. When she passed I was nervous about ringing around because some places really do treat small pets like an afterthought.…”
Hannah WilkinsonFor Pippa · Cockatiel · Google Review
Questions families ask us
- Is Harbourside an alternative to Rupert's Pet Cremation?
- Yes. Harbourside is a family-run crematorium performing individual-only pet cremation, with published prices from $430 and ashes usually home within 5–7 business days.
- Do you cremate horses as well as pets?
- Yes, individually, with the same numbered tag system. Large animals are quoted per case by phone — call Alby on 0493 814 474.
- Are the paw print and certificate extra?
- No. An ink paw print, a clipping of fur and a signed Certificate of Individual Cremation are included with every package.
- Can I visit or be present?
- Ring and ask. Families are welcome to be present at collection, and we will talk you through anything you want to see or know rather than deflecting the question.
Talk to us before you decide
Ring us with your questions even if you are still comparing. Nobody will push you toward a package.