Pets aren’t just companion animals. To many people, they are members of the family. We spend a lot of time and money on food, toys, and medical care. And when they die, we want to honor them the same way we would any of our human family members.
Our Top Picks for Pet Ashes
- Pet Urns on Amazon
- Pet Portrait Urn ($27.66)
- Unique Urns from Foreverence
- Pet Memorial Stones
- Memorial Stones from Parting Stone
- Memorial Diamonds from Eterneva
- Cremation Locket ($17.19)
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Ideas for Keeping Your Pet’s Ashes at Home
- Ideas for Keeping Your Pet’s Ashes Outdoors
- Ideas for Keeping Your Pet’s Ashes On You
We can do that by paying tribute to them in beautiful or creative ways after their death. If you opt for pet cremation, you can display your pet’s ashes in a beautiful urn. Or you can incorporate their ashes into special memorial items.
Here, we explore ways you can display your pet’s ashes after they die.
Ideas for Keeping Your Pet’s Ashes at Home
Just twenty or thirty years ago, most people would just bury their family pet in the backyard when they died. But over the past few decades, that’s become less common. Some municipalities won’t allow pet burial in residential areas.
Some people live in apartments or urban areas without yards. And some people hate the idea of leaving their late pets behind if they move. If you get your pet cremated, you can take them with you. Let’s explore some ways you can display your pet’s ashes in your home.
1. Get a beautiful urn
Cremation urns are a classic way to display the ashes of a loved one who has passed away. There are even urns and other vessels specifically made for pets that feature pawprints or pet portraits. And some companies, like Foreverence, can create the perfect customized urn.
You can also choose something less overtly pet-themed that just blends in with your decor. Sometimes the classics are popular for a reason.
2. Commission a pet portrait
Some artists specialize in creating memorial portraits of beloved pets. Some will even incorporate ashes into their work.
Find an artist online whose work you like. You can send them photos of your pet and some of the ashes, and they can incorporate those remains into a lovely portrait to help you memorialize your pet.
3. Glass cremation sculpture
Many glass artists can include ashes in their artwork. The ashes actually add an interesting visual element to a simple glass sphere.
They can also be incorporated into more visually complex pieces. A pawprint shaped glass sculpture is the perfect piece to infuse ashes with as a pet tribute.
Ideas for Keeping Your Pet’s Ashes Outdoors
A lot of pets like to spend time outdoors. Whether you used to take your dog for hikes or let your cat out on the screened-in porch, odds are they experienced happy times outside.
If your pet especially loved their days in the sun, you can keep their ashes outside. Here, we explore some creative ways to do that.
4. Memorial tree urn
When a friend, family member, or pet dies, a memorial tree can be a beautiful way to memorialize them. It serves as a living reminder of a person or creature you loved. It can bring people comfort to look at a living reminder of someone who has died.
Many companies sell the materials you need to plant a memorial tree. Some of them even come with systems in place that let you inter the ashes at the base of the tree. That addition can make a memorial tree feel even more directly connected to the pet that you plant it for.
5. Pet memorial stone
Even if someone decides to cremate their pet, they might want to have some kind of stone akin to a grave marker. Pet memorial stones are a great option for this. You can place them outside in your pet’s favorite area of the yard and sit there when you want to feel closer to them.
A memorial stone might feature your pet’s name and the dates that they were alive. Or, it might feature a portrait of your pet or a famous quote about pets. There are all kinds of things you can have etched into a memorial stone to customize it.
You can even have your pet’s ashes mixed directly into the concrete so they are, in a way, part of the stone. Better yet, Parting Stone can turn your pet's ashes into a set of beautiful, natural stones.
The best thing is, a memorial stone or stone made of your pet's ashes can come with you to a new place if you decide to move.
6. Infuse ashes into a glass suncatcher
A suncatcher is a decorative ornament, often made of glass. It’s a piece of art in its own right. But it also catches the light and reflects or refracts it to create a stunning show. Suncatchers can incorporate colored glass to amplify its light-bending effects. And skilled glassworkers can even incorporate ashes into a glass suncatcher.
Display a suncatcher in a window or on a back porch in a place that attracts a lot of sunlight. If you had a cat that liked to nap in warm patches of sunlight, a suncatcher would do well in that location. Whenever it casts its light show across the floor and walls, you’ll remember your late pet.
Ideas for Keeping Your Pet’s Ashes On You
If your pet was close to the heart, you may want to keep them close to your heart even after they die. Many people draw comfort from being able to keep their pet’s ashes on their person at any given time. Here are some ways you can incorporate your pet’s ashes into wearable art.
7. Memorial diamond jewelry
If price isn’t really a factor for you, you can go all out in paying tribute to your pet by getting a memorial diamond. Memorial diamonds are created by transforming ashes into synthetic gemstones through heat and pressure. It’s essentially a sped-up recreation of the process by which nature transforms carbon into diamonds.
You can send a portion of your pet’s ashes to a company (we recommend Eterneva) and within 24–36 weeks, they can turn those ashes into a diamond for you. This is definitely a pricy option, though, and costs vary from company to company.
The bigger the diamond, the higher the price goes. But it can be worthwhile for such a beautiful and lasting tribute to a beloved pet.
8. DIY cremation jewelry
There are many different ways you can incorporate ashes into a piece of jewelry that you can wear in memory of your pet. Many companies and independent artisans make jewelry expressly for this purpose. The most popular style tends to be a slim metal vial that can be worn on a necklace or bracelet. The DIY element comes from actually filling the vials. Many companies will include a small funnel so that you can easily transfer ashes into the premade vial.
Many companies and artisans can transform ashes into beautiful glass or resin beads, too. You can get them in certain sizes and even request particular colors. Send your ashes off and get lovely beads in return.
Then, you can string those onto necklaces or bracelets. It’s a great way to balance the involvement of an artist with an element of DIY. Both of these options are lovely, simple, and affordable ways to keep your pet’s ashes close to you.
9. Cremation locket
Lockets are often a nostalgic piece of jewelry. They open up to reveal hidden treasures, like a childhood portrait of a parent or a lock of hair from a spouse.
Lockets can even contain ashes. Look into cremation lockets as an option to store some of your pet’s ashes. It’s a sweet and storied tradition to keep a memento of someone you loved in a locket.
10. Get a memorial tattoo
Not a lot of people know this, but it’s actually possible to infuse tattoo ink with ashes. Several companies offer this service.
You can get a vial or two of ink from one of these companies, and work with a local tattoo artist to get a tattoo in memory of your pet. It could incorporate their name or a pawprint, or even be as elaborate as a portrait. It’s a creative way to make your pet a permanent part of you.
Displaying Your Pet’s Ashes After They’re Cremated
When a beloved pet dies, it’s important to honor the role they played in your life. You’ll always remember them thanks to photos, videos, and even pet keepsakes. And you can pay them the ultimate honor by thoughtfully displaying their ashes after death.
Whether you store their ashes in a simple urn or incorporate them into a piece of art, you can create a lovely memento. This is the kind of tribute that is fitting for a special member of the family.