The Most Popular Pet Memorials and Urns
Pets are an important part of the family and after they pass many people want to honor them in a special and dignified way. There are many unique pet urns and memorials available that allow you to do this with your beloved pet's ashes. Below we’ve described a few of the more popular ones.
Scattering Ashes
Scattering ashes of your beloved pet is one of the most popular options. This can be performed at a favorite place of your choosing, and many people simply elect to do this in their own yard or other special place (however, we always recommend checking any local rules or regulations before scattering). Most dogs, cats and other pets love to be outside and being scattered in nature can be a great memorial option for them.
To scatter, some families will simply use a container found around the home. However, others will elect to order an urn specifically designed to scatter ashes. This includes Eco Scattering, a unique scattering urn that is designed to help prevent having the ashes blow back on the person scattering and comes with a proprietary open and close mechanism on top, giving you the ability to scatter with control and ease. There are other scattering urns offered by certain websites and funeral homes made from paper or cardboard, however, these do not carry the same features and benefits as the Eco Scattering Urn and can be found at a similar price point.
Scatter in Water (a Water Burial)
Families have scattered human ashes at sea (also known as a water burial) for centuries. This is also becoming popular for pets and we’ve heard many stories of families renting boats and going out on the water to scatter their beloved pet’s ashes. Some will also include a ceremony before, during, or after the scattering is performed. In addition, there are multiple types of urns available for a pet’s water burial. This includes the Eco Water Urn for Pets, which floats like a buoy for up to a few minutes then gracefully disperses the ashes out of the bottom of the biodegradable urn and into the water. The Eco Water Urn comes packaged in a bamboo case, perfect for safe transport to that special place on the water to scatter.
Memorial Tree
Growing a memorial tree from an urn holding the ashes of a pet is becoming a popular option chosen by families all over the world. The Living Urn is the leading tree urn and planting system available and has been involved in tens of thousands of memorial tree plantings. This patented bio urn for pets gives families everything they need to grow a beautiful and enduring tree memorial – a proprietary bio urn, special soil additive, mulch, detailed planting instructions, and comes packaged in a beautiful bamboo case. Over fifty tree options are offered with The Living Urn, broken down by zip code to what trees grow best in each area of the U.S. These trees are approximately 2 to 4 feet in height and are shipped directly to a family’s doorstep, ready to plant with The Living Urn.
Houseplant or Bonsai Tree Memorial
Many families love the idea of a tree memorial for their pet but have limited space or don’t have a special place to plant the tree. The Living Urn Indoors / Patio for Pets was recently introduced and gives families the ability to have a houseplant or bonsai tree memorial indoors or on a patio. This unique planter urn for pets is made from high quality porcelain and comes in three colors – white, blue and beige. Families also have the option to use the center of the urn as a vase with cut flowers – providing an array of color to your home!
Keep the Ashes in the Home
Historically one of the most popular options for pet ashes is to keep them in the home in a traditional urn. This has become less popular over time as new and unique memorial options have been introduced. However, if you are more traditional and decide to place your pet’s ashes on the mantle or other location in the home, there are many urn options available. This includes environmentally friendly urn options such as a bamboo urn or Eco Décor.
Burial of Ashes
Many families will elect to bury ashes of their pet in the yard or at a special place. Ashes can be buried directly in the ground, or placed in a special urn for burying, such as the Eco Burial Urn for Pets. This unique pet burial urn is produced from bamboo, a sustainable resource, and is completely biodegradable. The Eco Burial Urn can easily be engraved with your pet’s name, an image, and any other special saying or message.
Infuse in a Glass Decorative Piece
A glass decoration infused with a pet’s ashes can be a great memorial and a beautiful piece to include in the home. Many families do this with a portion of the ashes and use the remaining ashes in a second memorial, or simply keep them with them at home. Glass memorials are made with a variety of color and can be placed anywhere in the home. Some even come with a special lighting attachment to make the glass ‘glow’.
Include in Jewelry
There are many companies that provide families the option to put part of your beloved pet’s ashes in a necklace, bracelet, and even a diamond! This is a beautiful option that you can wear proudly to honor your pet. A quick online search will provide you with a number of pet cremation jewelry options.
Launch the Ashes into Space
There are multiple companies that now offer families the ability to launch the ashes of your beloved pet into space. One company, in particular, Celestis provides different packages at varying price points and has regular launches scheduled where the ashes will be sent into orbit. This is a great option to consider if you have the budget and you want to look out into the stars and remember your beloved pet.
Include in a Fireworks Display
Another option to honor a pet is to include their ashes in a firework (or firework display) and then gather family and friends to view as it’s launched into the sky and explodes into a beautiful array of color. A quick internet search will find a number of companies who provide this service, with most providing multiple packages at different price points.
Which Option is Right for Your Pet?
In addition to the memorial options described above, there are other options available to honor your beloved pet with many more becoming available each year. If you cannot decide on a memorial now, and since ashes have no expiration and can be used in any memorial at any time, you can hold onto your pet’s ashes until you make a decision. In addition, if it’s a challenge to decide on just one memorial option, many families choose to divide up their pet’s ashes into multiple memorials.