As Australians increasingly treat pets as family, Reterniti introduces a new way to remember them by transforming ashes into a world first 'Memorial Stone'
More Australians now own pets than ever before. Alongside the love and companionship they bring, many Australians say losing a pet is as devastating as losing a family member.
That shift is changing the way people choose to memorialise the animals that shaped their lives. Reterniti, a New Zealand-founded company, has launched in Australia with a world-first memorial Reterniti Stone crafted from ashes, giving families a meaningful, lasting way to honour and keep near beloved pets or relatives that have passed on through their elegant stones.
The launch comes as cremation becomes the dominant choice for both pets and people, with Reterniti estimating 75 per cent of Australians now opting to cremate their pets over traditional burial.
While cremation offers flexibility, it also often leaves many families uncertain about what to do with the ashes.
For pet owners in particular, the options have historically been limited to burial or cremation to ashes placed in an urn or box, and decisions that have often been needed to be made quickly during an emotionally difficult time.
Reterniti Founder and Managing Director Peter Russell says his idea for the Reterniti Stone came from a personal experience of losing his beloved golden retriever Hogan, and recognising that like his own family, many people wanted a more personal and enduring way to remember loved ones and their pets.
"Pets are such an important part of our lives, and when they pass away people often don't know what to do with the ashes. We wanted to create something that felt simple and considered. Something people could hold in their hand and keep close, and that's how the Reterniti Stone came about" says Russell.
"We know grief doesn't disappear, but having something tangible, that can be held, can make those moments of grief bearable, so you never have to say goodbye", he shares.
Each Stone is unique, reflecting the individuality of the pet it represents, crafted through a specialised process, where ashes are transformed into a smooth but durable Reterniti Stone, which lasts many decades.
Families can choose between full-sized Reterniti Stones or smaller Reterniti Pebbles, each designed to be tactile and personal, so rather than ashes sitting on a shelf like a traditional urn, the Stones are intended to be carried, kept close or placed somewhere meaningful. The process is simple, families are sent a shipping kit to safely transport the ashes to Reterniti's Australian production facility, which is tracked every step of the way.
Reterniti has observed Australian attitudes towards grief & remembrance are evolving rapidly. Preferences are moving away from old-fashioned funerary items like urns and boxes. "Many people simply don't want an urn anymore; most modern homes don't even have a mantlepiece to put them on. They're looking for a modern, tactile solution. Reterniti has opened a whole new way to remember a loved one."
