15 Things To Do with the Cremated Ashes of Your Pet
Pets are family and after they pass we want to honor them in a special and dignified way. There are many different things you can do with the cremated ashes of your pet to create a beautiful and memorable memorial. Below we highlight some of the most popular ones.
1. Scatter
One of the most popular things to do with the cremated ashes of a pet is to scatter them. This can be done at a favorite hiking or camping spot, a beautiful vacation destination, a garden, park, in your yard, and so on. If it’s going to be done on public land or elsewhere, it’s important to get permission first. Most pets love the outdoors and being scattered in nature is a great way to memorialize them.
If the decision is made to scatter ashes of your pet, many people are now using scattering urns that are specifically designed to scatter. This includes Eco Scattering, an all-natural biodegradable scattering urn made from bamboo, a sustainable resource. This special urn has many advantages, including that it’s designed to give you the ability to scatter with control away from your body. In addition, its unique open and close mechanism allows you to scatter at one location, then re-secure the cremated ashes to scatter somewhere else or keep the additional ashes of your pet.
There are other scattering urns available and most are made from paper or cardboard, however, these do not carry the same features as Eco Scattering and are typically found at similar price points.
2. Grow a Tree Memorial
An option that’s growing in popularity is to memorialize your beloved pet with The Living Urn’s patented biodegradable urn for pets. With this system, you can place your pet’s ashes in the bio urn and follow the instructions provided to plant and grow a tree memorial - a beautiful living reminder of your pet. The Living Urn offers over 50 tree options, narrowed down by zip code to what grows best in your area. The trees are 2-4’ in height and come in a gallon or quart pots with healthy, robust root systems. The Living Urn bio urn for pets and tree you choose are shipped directly to your doorstep and arrive when you want to plant. In addition, The Living Urn is a proven system with tens of thousands of tree plantings and a lot of great reviews.
3. Bury
Burying pet ashes is also a popular option chosen by families. Many people do this in their yard, at a pet cemetery, or a place special to them. There are many cat and dog cremation urns available that can be buried and will give your pet a dignified burial. This includes Eco Burial Urn for Pets, the leading new choice of pet crematoriums nationwide. The Eco Burial Urn is made from bamboo, a sustainable resource, and is 100% biodegradable. It is an attractive option that is typically buried, however, given its appearance many families also choose to keep these in the home.
4. Perform a Water Burial
Water burials have been occurring in honor of people for centuries, and now these are becoming more and more popular for pets. This includes scattering a pet’s ashes in the ocean or other waterway. Many families rent a boat and go out on the open ocean to perform a water burial for their pet. They then hold a ceremony and reflect on their beloved pet with family and friends present. In addition, many families who do a water burial for their pet are choosing to use a biodegradable urn specifically designed to scatter ashes in water. This includes the Eco Water Urn, a biodegradable urn that floats for up to a few minutes then gently disperses a pet’s ashes in the water. Eco Water comes packaged in a bamboo cylinder, perfect to safely transport the urn holding the ashes to that special place for the water burial for your pet.
5. Keep Them in the Home
For people who are more traditional and want to keep their beloved pet’s cremated ashes at home with them, there are many urn options available. You can order a beautiful decorative urn and memorialize your pet right in your home. With the recent surge in the amount of people choosing cremation instead of burial, there now are many more cremation urn options available, some of which are also made in sizes for pets.
6. Grow a Bonsai Tree or Houseplant
The new Living Urn Indoors / Patio for Pets give you the flexibility to grow a beautiful bonsai tree or houseplant indoors or on a patio from an attractive high quality porcelain urn holding your beloved pet’s ashes. This unique plant urn for pets comes in blue, white, or beige, and gives you the ability to easily take it with you if you move. In addition, with this unique indoor urn, you also have the option to place cut flowers in the center and display vibrant colors year-round!
7. Include in a Glass Piece
There are many companies that now give you the ability to infuse the ashes of your pet in a decorative glass piece. This unique memorial can include a pet glass heart, orb, or touchstones with elaborate colors and designs in glass that can be kept with you forever. Use it as a centerpiece on a table, or place it in that special spot in your home and remember your beloved pet for many years to come!
8. Include in Jewelry
A quick search online will provide you with a lot of cremation jewelry options related to pet cremation jewelry. You can put part of their ashes in a beautiful necklace, bracelet, and even have some included in a diamond or other gemstone. This is a beautiful option that you can wear proudly to honor your pet.
9. Multiple Keepsakes
There are many pet keepsake options available, each of which holds a small amount of a pet's ashes. You can order multiple beautiful keepsakes and divide up your pet's ashes among them - this can include a glass decorative piece, one or more pieces of jewelry, a small keepsake scattering urn, or a keepsake The Living Urn Planter, among many other options.
10. Stones
You can now turn your pet's ashes into stone. A company called Parting Stone can do this and create beautiful stones from your pet's ashes. These stones resemble river rocks and many people choose to place in the home or around the garden!
11. Memorial Portrait
Another unique thing to do with your beloved pet's ashes is to have them included in a portrait. Do this with a portrait of your pet, a favorite memory you shared with them, or anything else that is special to you. There are multiple companies who now do this - be sure to check their work samples as some do better work than others.
12. Vinyl Record
Do you have a favorite song, soundtrack, message, or saying that reminds you of your beloved pet? If so, including their ashes into a vinyl record may be something to consider. There are multiple companies who do this, including Vinyly, that press your pet's ashes into the vinyl recording.
13. Launch into Space
There are now options available to send your beloved pet’s cremated ashes into space. Celestis offers multiple packages at varying price points to send ashes into orbit. While not the most affordable option, it is one to consider if you want to gaze into the stars and reflect on your beloved pet.
14. Include in a Firework
Another unique option to consider to honor a pet who’s passed is to include them in a firework that can be viewed as it explodes into an array of color. There are multiple companies who offer this service, including Angels Flight based in Southern California.
15. Get a Tattoo
There are many service now that can include your beloved pet's ashes into a new tattoo - include an image of your pet, their name, or anything else you can think of that's special to you. Do a quick internet search to find this service in your area.
Which Option is Right for You?
There are many options to choose from to memorialize your pet with more and more coming out each year. If you can’t decide on one now, simply keep your beloved pet’s cremated ashes with you until you come to a decision. And, if you can’t just decide on just one option, many families are electing to divide up the cremated ashes of their beloved pet into multiple memorials.
Can You Personalize Pet Memorials?
Yes, and similar to the human memorial market, many people have a memorial personalized for their beloved pet to make it even more special. This can include having their name, a saying, dates of birth and death, and a symbol or picture printed or engraved on the memorial. This customization is currently offered on a number of urns for an affordable price, including The Living Urn, the Eco Scattering Urn, and the Eco Water Urn. In addition, many families will choose to place a pet memorial stone in the yard or other special place with their beloved pet's information.
New Pet Urns for Ashes
With approximately 60% of Americans having pets and since over 90% of pets are cremated after they pass, there is a large demand for pet urns. Companies such as Biolife and others continue to innovate and introduce new and uplifting pet memorial options for families. So, if the memorials listed above aren't of interest to you at this time, be sure to continue searching as new pet urns come available quite often.