Tokyo - In Japan, caring for pets goes beyond the grave.
At Pet Rainbow Fiesta, a pet funeral expo, visitors were given a host of options on performing rites for dead pets, including cremation, constructing a household altar and making offerings of incense.
The basic funeral service fee starts from 95 800 yen (about R11 000) for a one-kilogram hamster or bird and can go up to 114 800 yen for a 20-kilogram dog, according to funeral services company Kokolone.
A flower altar can be added for 30 000 yen or pet owners can hire the services of a violinist or pianist to add sombre music.
The funeral rituals underscore a Japanese belief that spirits need to be pacified - even if that comes at a tidy cost for your pet.