Cryonics FAQ

What is cryonics?

Cryonics is the practice of preserving humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine in a state of suspended animation so that future medical technologies will be able to revive and repair them.

What is cryogenics?

Cryogenics is the study of the effects of low temperatures on matter.

Won't freezing destroy cells?

Pets are vitrified, not frozen, preventing ice formation. In freezing, ice forms outside of cells, crushing them and exposing them to lethal concentrations of salt. Vitrification enables us to prevent this outcome.

What is vitrification?

Vitrification is the transformation of a substance into a glass-like state without crystallization. Cryoprotectants are used to protect cells, tissues, and organs from the damaging effects of freezing and dehydration.

What are cryoprotectants?

A cryoprotectant is an anti-freeze substance that prevents ice-crystal formation. Pets are perfused with cryoprotectants during the cryopreservation procedure. The use of cryoprotectants in cryonics eliminates ice crystals entirely.

Why should I cryopreserve my pet?

We believe cryopreservation should be the standard option following clinical death, rather than burial or cremation, as it gives a chance at life again in the future. All animals have a strong survival instinct and want to keep living, but their bodies begin failing them in old age or through other diseases or traumas. Our pets have unique personalities, memories, and love for us. We can give them the chance they deserve.

How much does it cost?

Whole-body cryopreservation costs will depend mostly on the species of the pet and their weight/size. We do not yet have pricing data available but plan to add this in the near future. We have a unique business model that allows us to lower costs in many ways and make cryopreservation affordable.

Will revival really be possible in the future?

Cryopreservation procedures, along with the original cause of clinical death, result in damage to the body that we don't currently have the capability to repair. Our primary goal is to preserve the ultrastructure of the brain so that it can be repaired in the future, keeping memories and personality intact. Such future repair technologies such as conventional cell repair or molecular reconstruction are perfectly theoretically feasible, and will be a natural evolution of our medical procedures, not necessarily developed specifically for revival of cryopreserved animals or humans. As long as humanity continues into the future, revival should be possible.

Who will care for my pet in the future if I cannot?

As you might be able to imagine, if we had pets from a different time period revived today, there would be countless people interested in taking care of them. Even if you are unable to care for your pet in the future, it's honorable to still give them a chance at more life.

Can I be cryopreserved with my pet?

Cryopets plans to offer cryopreservation for humans in the future.

Is cryopreservation compatible with religion?

Of course - if you believe in an afterlife, that doesn't mean you're necessarily in a rush to get there. Cryopreservation is an emergency procedure used to prevent death, same as CPR. People from all beliefs can agree that life is beautiful, and more of life is a beautiful thing.

What if there's a power outage?

Liquid nitrogen is used to keep our cryogenic dewars at a temperature of −196 °C, so electricity is not required. This means a power outage would not impact the temperature of the pets.

Where is the facility located?

Our facility will be built in Salt Lake City, Utah, the 4th safest city in the United States from natural disasters.

How do I know the company and facility will last?

Cryopets strives to one day be the leading cryonics facility for both pets and humans. In time, as we introduce cryopreservation to hospitals, there will be healthy regulations and requirements placed on cryonics storage facilities. If a facility can no longer operate, the pets and/or humans would simply be transferred to a different facility.