When a pet dies, some people wish to still keep them nearby in some capacity.
You could achieve this goal in various ways. For example, if you cremated a pet after death and you don't know what to do with your pet’s ashes, you could keep your pet in a pet keychain urn.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What's a Pet Keychain Urn?
- How Much Do Pet Keychain Urns Usually Cost?
- Popular Types of Pet Keychain Urns
A pet keychain urn offers an ideal way to keep a reminder of your beloved pet with you at all times. This idea may appeal to those who travel often but anyone can keep some of a pet’s ashes in a keychain urn. Keep reading to learn about the numerous types you can find!
What’s a Pet Keychain Urn?
Pet cremation (like human cremation) has grown in popularity. Like with humans, after cremating a pet, you need to decide what to do with the ashes.
You could store them in a traditional urn in your home. However, for many potential reasons, you may also wish to store some of your pet’s ashes in a pet keychain urn.
This small urn attaches to a keyring so you can carry your pet with you in your pocket. Whenever you see it, your pet keychain urn will remind you of a loving pet who has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
How Much Do Pet Keychain Urns Usually Cost?
Many factors can influence the cost of a pet keychain urn. Along with basic factors such as material (a more durable urn will naturally cost more than one that’s less likely to stay in perfect condition forever), factors such as whether you choose to request custom engravings can also affect the price. Luckily, when deciding where to buy a pet keychain urn, you have many options.
Some suppliers specialize in these types of items, from large companies to individual artists who may sell their work on Etsy and similar platforms. You can also buy pet keychain urns through popular “etailers” like Amazon.
That means you can easily shop around to find a pet keychain urn that fits your tastes and budget. Unless you buy a premium-quality pet keychain urn with detailed custom features, you shouldn’t spend more than $50 at most. Many cost closer to $25.
Popular Types of Pet Keychain Urns
You can find many different types of pet keychain urns and similar pet keepsakes. As demand for such products grows, more and more suppliers and artisans offer their own unique designs.
A single blog entry couldn’t possibly list every single type of pet keychain urn available. The following includes the more common options.
1. Paw print urns
Many people choose to buy pet keychain urns that in some way remind them of the specific type of pet they lost. For example, some of the most popular and common pet keychain urns look like the shape of a dog’s paw print.
Such urns may come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and more. In general, these urns offer small metal containers perfect for holding some of a cremated dog’s ashes.
2. Heart urns
Another very popular shape for pet keychain urns is that of a heart. You can get these urns with engravings or etchings of a specific pet’s name.
3. Cylinders
Some people prefer to keep it simple when storing a pet’s ashes in a keychain urn. Often, they choose urns that are basic cylinder shapes.
This is also an option you may consider if you don’t necessarily want people asking about the significance of a pet keychain urn. With a basic item like this, you can keep your pet with you in some way throughout life, without having to constantly explain to others what the keychain holds.
4. Birds
You might decide to cremate a bird instead of a dog or cat. For instance, if you lost a bird, you may keep your bird's ashes in a small urn with the shape of a similar-looking bird.
It’s also worth noting that many artists will design custom urns based on your ideas. If you can’t find an urn in the shape of your pet, odds are good you can find an artist who can make one for you.
5. Bones
Like a paw print, a bone is a shape that will instantly evoke memories of a beloved dog. A bone is also essentially rectangular, making it a perfect shape for a small pet keychain urn.
6. Circles
A circle is another option to keep in mind if you’d like a pet keychain urn to not call too much attention to itself. Additionally, pet keychain urns with the shape of a basic, flat circle, tend to have more space for engravings. Although small cylindrical urns have their appeal, their size often makes engraving a pet’s name on them a challenge.
7. Traditional urn shapes
Urns (for both pets and humans!) come in an extremely wide range of shapes and styles. However, when most people picture a typical urn, they imagine a somewhat vase-shaped item.
Some pet keychain urns look like small traditional urns.
8. Picture urns
Some pet keychain urns can satisfy both a desire to have a picture and ashes together. Various pet keychain urns in a range of basic shapes have space for an image of a lost pet.
Sometimes picture urns involve small frames in which you can insert a tiny picture. Others may feature laser engravings of a picture. You may pay more for this but it's an option worth considering if you can afford it.
9. Rectangular urns
You can find many rectangular popular pet keychain urns rectangular, aside from their round edges, which almost give them the appearance of a military dog tag.
These types of urns tend to sell for two main reasons. One, like cylinders and circles, serve their purpose without attracting too much attention. Two, this shape offers a relatively large space for engravings and other custom features.
10. Roses
Many people associate roses with the remembrance of lost loved ones. Roses and similar shapes are popular pet keychain urn options.
11. Glass or transparent urns
Many people won't want anyone to necessarily see their pet’s ashes every time they take out their keys.
That’s understandable. However, not everyone feels this way. Some don’t mind seeing a pet’s ashes directly and may buy pet keychain urns made of glass or a similar transparent material. These urns come in virtually all common pet keychain urn shapes.
12. Companion keychain urns
Not all pet keychain urns involve one individual item. For example, some pet keychain urns in basic shapes like cylinders can also come with companion tokens (often in another basic shape, like a circle or heart) that have more space for engravings or images.
This allows owners to keep their pets’ ashes in relatively simple keychain urns while still including some personal or custom features as well.
13. "Rainbow Bridge" urns
The Rainbow Bridge, a reference to a popular poem that describes lost pets crossing over a bridge to a happy afterlife where they wait to reunite with their owners, gives many pet keychain urn suppliers and designers a way to take inspiration from the poem. Keychain urns in various shapes feature either the entire text of the poem or at least a quote from the poem.
14. Religious symbols
Religion can offer a potential source of comfort for some who lose pets. Religious pet owners sometimes choose to keep their lost pets’ ashes in urns whose shapes symbolize their religious beliefs. crosses, Stars of David, and more.
15. Wings
Angel wings also appeal to pet owners who like to believe that their lost companions have taken flight to some happier world after their passing. It’s easy to find pet keychain urns in the shape of angel wings.
Pet Keychain Urns: Keeping Best Friends Close
Whether you plan a pet’s funeral or trying to decide what to do with the ashes of a pet you’ve already cremated, you may want to do some more research into pet keychain urns. Again, because you can choose from so many available options, you’ll almost certainly be able to find one that perfectly reminds you of your lost pet.