Pet-Eternal
Pet-Eternal
Pet-Eternal
An innovative pet funeral service to help owners navigate their emotional pain with care and warmth
An innovative pet funeral service to help owners navigate their emotional pain with care and warmth
An innovative pet funeral service to help owners navigate their emotional pain with care and warmth
Project Name
Project Name
Redefining Kinship?
Redefining Kinship?
Redefining Kinship?
Designer
Designer
Sherin Chen
Sherin Chen
Sherin Chen
Project Nature
Personal Project
Personal Project
Project Type
Project Type
Service design
Service design
Service design
Duration
Duration
09.2023—12.2023
09.2023—12.2023
09.2023—12.2023
Abstract
Abstract
Abstract
In modern society, more and more people regard pets as important members of their family. When a pet passes away, owners often experience grief and loss, desiring a dignified and heartfelt farewell for their beloved companion, along with a way to preserve cherished memories.
In modern society, more and more people regard pets as important members of their family. When a pet passes away, owners often experience grief and loss, desiring a dignified and heartfelt farewell for their beloved companion, along with a way to preserve cherished memories.
However, existing pet funeral services often lack personalization and innovation, failing to meet the emotional needs of owners or provide a fulfilling user experience during this difficult time.
However, existing pet funeral services often lack personalization and innovation, failing to meet the emotional needs of owners or provide a fulfilling user experience during this difficult time.
Pet-Eternal is an innovative pet funeral service that offers diverse and compassionate ways to commemorate pets, helping owners navigate their emotional pain with care and warmth.
Pet-Eternal is an innovative pet funeral service that offers diverse and compassionate ways to commemorate pets, helping owners navigate their emotional pain with care and warmth.
Menu
Menu
Menu
Background
Background
Background
Pets have transitioned from serving economic purposes to offering companionship and improving mental well-being, particularly for the increasing population living alone. With rising demand, China’s pet market has grown significantly, reaching 131.2 billion RMB by 2021.
However, despite recognizing the importance of our pets in our lives, we often feel overwhelmed when it comes to dealing with their passing. This paradox reveals the problems and challenges in the field of pet funeral services. As a result, we need to re-examine our attitudes towards pets and how we deal with their passing.
However, despite recognizing the importance of our pets in our lives, we often feel overwhelmed when it comes to dealing with their passing. This paradox reveals the problems and challenges in the field of pet funeral services. As a result, we need to re-examine our attitudes towards pets and how we deal with their passing.
Desk Research
Desk Research
Desk Research
The current status of the pet funeral
The current status of the pet funeral
The current status of the pet funeral
There are four existing pet burial methods: burying pets' remains themselves, disposal by official institutions, cremation by pet funeral organizations, and preservation as pet specimens. I conducted basic research on them to understand their pros and cons and identify design opportunities.
Impacts of Mishandling
Impacts of Mishandling
Impacts of Mishandling
Casual disposal of pet carcasses may lead to pollution of water sources, soil, and residential environments.
Casual disposal of pet carcasses may lead to pollution of water sources, soil, and residential environments.
Casual disposal of pet carcasses may lead to pollution of water sources, soil, and residential environments.
In China, it is a violation of the Animal Epidemic Prevention Regulations to dispose of pet carcasses by burying them privately.
In China, it is a violation of the Animal Epidemic Prevention Regulations to dispose of pet carcasses by burying them privately.
In China, it is a violation of the Animal Epidemic Prevention Regulations to dispose of pet carcasses by burying them privately.
Improperly disposing of a pet's carcass, especially if it died from an infectious or zoonotic disease, risks spreading the pathogen.
Improperly disposing of a pet's carcass, especially if it died from an infectious or zoonotic disease, risks spreading the pathogen.
Improperly disposing of a pet's carcass, especially if it died from an infectious or zoonotic disease, risks spreading the pathogen.
Design Motivation
Design Motivation
Design Motivation
A more legal, more sustainable and environmentally friendly way of burial.
A more legal, more sustainable and environmentally friendly way of burial.
A more legal, more sustainable and environmentally friendly way of burial.
A more personalized approach to service to meet the unique needs of individuals.
A more personalized approach to service to meet the unique needs of individuals.
A more personalized approach to service to meet the unique needs of individuals.
Applying new technologies for this traditional funeral industry to enhance the user experience.
Applying new technologies for this traditional funeral industry to enhance the user experience.
Applying new technologies for this traditional funeral industry to enhance the user experience.
First-hand research
First-hand research
First-hand research
Stakeholder mapping
Stakeholder mapping
Stakeholder mapping
Through the stakeholder map, all stakeholders in the pet funeral service are identified to ensure that the needs of all parties are considered. Key stakeholders are identified as pet owners, environmental organizations, and funeral service providers.
Through the stakeholder map, all stakeholders in the pet funeral service are identified to ensure that the needs of all parties are considered. Key stakeholders are identified as pet owners, environmental organizations, and funeral service providers.
Field observations
Field observations
Field observations
Funeral service providers face geographic distress, regulatory challenges, and low social acceptance.
What I found:
There are very few pet funeral parlors in the entire city, only ten in total, and they are all located far from the city center.
The service equipment is poor and the environmental hygiene situation is worrisome.
What I found:
There are very few pet funeral parlors in the entire city, only ten in total, and they are all located far from the city center.
The service equipment is poor and the environmental hygiene situation is worrisome.
Difficulty in choosing a location for the service's offline store, hearing that it's a pet funeral is bad luck, and it's rejected outright
Difficulty in choosing a location for the service's offline store, hearing that it's a pet funeral is bad luck, and it's rejected outright
Finally found the storefront with difficulty, but faced complaints due to the surrounding shops' addresses. In the end, had to relocate to a remote area.
Finally found the storefront with difficulty, but faced complaints due to the surrounding shops' addresses. In the end, had to relocate to a remote area.
Even if professional cremation equipment is purchased, there is no way to meet the regulatory requirements and it is very difficult to get a business license.
Even if professional cremation equipment is purchased, there is no way to meet the regulatory requirements and it is very difficult to get a business license.
Pet owners' views
Pet owners' views
Pet owners' views
Pet owners seek emotional companionship, psychological comfort, a transparent funeral process, and dignified pet passing.
Pet owners seek emotional companionship, psychological comfort, a transparent funeral process, and dignified pet passing.
The Environmental Protection Department's views
The Environmental Protection Department's views
The Environmental Protection Department's views
“Meet the emotional needs of pet owners while minimizing damage to the environment.”
“Meet the emotional needs of pet owners while minimizing damage to the environment.”
Drafting Pet Funeral Rules: stress safe disposal, prevent pathogens, promote eco-burials, balance emotions, reduce environmental impact.
Drafting Pet Funeral Rules: stress safe disposal, prevent pathogens, promote eco-burials, balance emotions, reduce environmental impact.
Urban Agriculture Bureau: Pet burial not in business scope; we prioritize harmlessness. But there's no national norms.
Urban Agriculture Bureau: Pet burial not in business scope; we prioritize harmlessness. But there's no national norms.
We are concerned about burner standards, emissions regulation, cemetery land protection and consumer rights.
We are concerned about burner standards, emissions regulation, cemetery land protection and consumer rights.
Research Summary
Research Summary
Research Summary
Practitioners have difficulty in launching offline funeral services.
Practitioners have difficulty in launching offline funeral services.
Practitioners have difficulty in launching offline funeral services.
Information about pet burials is not yet widely available, and non-pet owners reject burials for fear of causing public health problems.
Information about pet burials is not yet widely available, and non-pet owners reject burials for fear of causing public health problems.
Information about pet burials is not yet widely available, and non-pet owners reject burials for fear of causing public health problems.
The national law does not specify relevant industry standards for cremation, so the offline industry can only operate in a gray area.
The national law does not specify relevant industry standards for cremation, so the offline industry can only operate in a gray area.
The national law does not specify relevant industry standards for cremation, so the offline industry can only operate in a gray area.
Existing funeral services do not meet the needs of pet owners.
Existing funeral services do not meet the needs of pet owners.
Existing funeral services do not meet the needs of pet owners.
Pet owners' participation in the funeral process is weak. Funeral services are still carried out in a traditional way, and the whole process can only be observed or even sometimes prohibited.
Pet owners' participation in the funeral process is weak. Funeral services are still carried out in a traditional way, and the whole process can only be observed or even sometimes prohibited.
Pet owners' participation in the funeral process is weak. Funeral services are still carried out in a traditional way, and the whole process can only be observed or even sometimes prohibited.
Psychological needs are unfulfilled. Owners seek spiritual solace to comfort grief after a pet's loss, desiring a dignified passing imbued with reverence.
Psychological needs are unfulfilled. Owners seek spiritual solace to comfort grief after a pet's loss, desiring a dignified passing imbued with reverence.
Psychological needs are unfulfilled. Owners seek spiritual solace to comfort grief after a pet's loss, desiring a dignified passing imbued with reverence.
Laws promote a greener way of burial.
Laws promote a greener way of burial.
Laws promote a greener way of burial.
The Government is formulating relevant regulatory policies to support the development of the pet funeral industry.
The Government is formulating relevant regulatory policies to support the development of the pet funeral industry.
The Government is formulating relevant regulatory policies to support the development of the pet funeral industry.
The government advocates the promotion of green burial to minimize damage to the environment while meeting the owners’ emotional needs.
The government advocates the promotion of green burial to minimize damage to the environment while meeting the owners’ emotional needs.
The government advocates the promotion of green burial to minimize damage to the environment while meeting the owners’ emotional needs.
Design Proposal
Design Proposal
Design Proposal
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Design Scheme and Testing
Design Scheme and Testing
Design Scheme and Testing
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Reasons for the final choice
Reasons for the final choice
Reasons for the final choice
Pet files allow pets to accompany their owners in another way, giving them emotional companionship and emotional transition.
The form of sending flowers and Accessories has a sense of ceremony.
The eco-friendly way of burial give another value to the death of the pet.
Final Design
Final Design
Final Design
Service System Map
Service System Map
Service System Map
Evidence 1 - Interface
Evidence 1 - Interface
Evidence 1 - Interface
Userflow Instruction
Userflow Instruction
Userflow Instruction
Tip: Drag the slider to view the complete interview record.
Tip: Drag the slider to view the complete interview record.
Evidence 2 - Pet Files
Evidence 2 - Pet Files
Evidence 2 - Pet Files
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Tip: Drag the slider to view the complete interview record.
The generated pet profile can be converted into various file formats required by different games using AI and embedded into the games. In the virtual world, the pet continues to accompany its owner in a new form of existence.
Note: Some of the renderings were generated by AI.
Evidence 3 - Flowers & Accessories
Evidence 3 - Flowers & Accessories
Evidence 3 - Flowers & Accessories
Storyboard
Storyboard
Storyboard
Note: Some of the renderings were generated by AI.
Get in touch
Feel free to reach out if you're interested in collaboration or have recruitment opportunities. I'd be happy to connect!
Email: xuanlinchen86@gmail.com
More Information:
© 2025 Sherin Chen
Get in touch
Feel free to reach out if you're interested in collaboration or have recruitment opportunities. I'd be happy to connect!
Email: xuanlinchen86@gmail.com
More Information:
© 2025 Sherin Chen
Get in touch
Feel free to reach out if you're interested in collaboration or have recruitment opportunities. I'd be happy to connect!
Email: xuanlinchen86@gmail.com
More Information:
© 2025 Sherin Chen