About Petpots
PetPots came about in 2022 when my two best dog mates Buster and Rocco both passed away at 13 and 15 a few months apart. After they were cremated, I struggled to find a container that I liked. They had been my best mates for years and I wanted something that allowed me to celebrate their life.
Being a potter and woodturner in my spare time I decided to make my own urns for my boys. Once some family and friends saw what I had made for them, they started putting in orders for pots for their pets as they passed away.
Seeing what else was out there for people to house their pets after they passed, I decided to keep making urns and started selling them in 2024.
I understand how special pets are to people and it makes me happy to know I can make something that can help people remember them by.
How they are made
I make all Pet Pot urns by hand in my small solar-powered studio in Macandrew Bay, Otepoti Dunedin.
Through the process of making, firing, glazing and finishing the urns and turning and sanding the lids, each urn takes a few weeks to make.
Being handmade and using a range of materials, each urn is unique and perfectly imperfect.
Care
The best way to keep your Pet Pots surface clean is using a microfibre or other non-pilling cloth with water and diluted dishwashing detergent. White vinegar is best for removing stubborn greasy marks or fingerprints on the clay.
The timber lids have been sealed using either beeswax, linseed or a natural oil-based sealant. While this will help to reduce the risk of staining, marking or splitting, it is still best to keep them out of direct sunlight and avoid contact with liquids. Wiping them over with a dry microfibre cloth is the best way to keep them dust free and looking their best.
Sustainability
I’m passionate about the environment, but I don’t believe having a small carbon footprint means you have compromise on creativity or beauty.
I love to reclaim and mix by own clay and like to experiment with different colours and textures by adding other recycled materials like metal shavings to the clay. Embracing imperfections also reduces the waste involved in production.
All the lids are made from local timber, recycled from historic buildings or sourced from trees felled around Dunedin. I love finding the beauty in timber that might not have previously seen the light of day.
Cremations
In Otago Pet Pots is proud to have a relationship with Stonegate Pet Cremations. Stonegate have a number our urns on their website for sale. If, however, you are having a cremation with Stonegate and would like to choose one of the urns on our site instead, please get in touch and we can make that happen.
