What to Do With Pet Ashes: 10 Gentle Ideas

A pet's ashes often come home before anyone has thought about what happens next. Some people know straight away. Others leave the container on a shelf for months, and that is a perfectly good choice in itself. This guide goes through ten things you can do, in roughly the order people tend to ask about them. For each one it says who it suits, who it does not, and what to check first. Where one of our pet urns or other pieces fits, we show it. Where nothing we sell fits, we say so.

Before you choose: how much ash is there

The amount depends on the animal, and it varies a great deal between a rabbit and a large dog. Our urn size guide gives a rule of thumb of about one cubic inch of urn capacity for each pound of body weight, and calls it an estimate that will not be exact for everyone. For pets, the same guide says sizing varies widely. So treat the rule as a starting point only.

The surest measure is the ashes themselves. They usually come back in a bag inside a box or tube, and you can see how much room they take up. Compare that with the capacity on the urn's page. Every piece in this guide lists what it holds, and we give it here in liters and cubic inches. If you are unsure, the crematorium that returned the ashes can tell you how much there is.

1. Keep them at home in an urn

This is the choice that changes least. Your pet stays in the house, and nothing has to be decided for good. It suits people who find comfort in having something to see or touch. It is not for you if a daily reminder in the room would be hard to live with. Only you know which of those you are.

Some urns are shaped like the animal. The Sleeping Dog Urn for Ashes in Grey is a porcelain urn in the form of a curled, sleeping dog, with a matte dark grey finish. It is 17 cm (6.69 in) high and 22.5 cm (8.86 in) wide, and it holds 3.3 liters (about 201 cubic inches). A screw closure in the base opens it, and its page says the ashes can be placed directly inside.

Pictured: Sleeping Dog Urn for Ashes in Grey

Pets are not only dogs and cats. The Sleeping Rabbit Pet Urn for Ashes in White is a small ceramic urn shaped like a resting rabbit, in matte white. It is 10 cm (3.94 in) high and 16.5 cm (6.50 in) from front to back, holds 0.6 liters (about 37 cubic inches), and is filled through an opening in the base.

Pictured: Sleeping Rabbit Pet Urn for Ashes in White

If you would rather not have an animal shape, the Pawprints Pet Urn for Ashes in White - Medium is a rounded ceramic urn with a white glaze and a few embossed pawprints. It is 12 cm (4.7 in) high, holds 0.5 liters (about 30.5 cubic inches), and opens at the base with a silicone closure. Its page describes it as designed for indoor display. The same design is also listed in small, large and extra large. For more shapes, see our dog breed urns and cat urns.

2. Make a small place of remembrance

Some families give the urn a corner of its own: a shelf with a photograph, a collar, a favorite toy. It does not need to be elaborate. A candle can help mark a birthday or the day they died.

The Pawprints Candle Pet Urn for Ashes in Grey - Small combines the two. It is a grey metal cylinder decorated with silver pawprints, and the recessed top holds a candle. It is 15 cm (5.9 in) high and holds 0.4 liters (about 24.4 cubic inches), which its page describes as suitable for a small portion of ashes. It is filled through a screw closure in the base, comes with an urn bag, and is made for indoor display.

Pictured: Pawprints Candle Pet Urn for Ashes in Grey - Small

Because of its size, this urn will not hold all the ashes of a larger animal. Check the capacity against the ashes you have, or use it for a portion and choose something else for the rest.

3. Place an urn in the garden

A garden urn suits a pet who spent its days outside, and it suits people who may move house, because the urn can be lifted and taken along. Not every urn can live outdoors. Choose one whose page says it can.

The Dimension Pet Urn for Ashes in Corten Steel is a plain, upright metal block with straight sides and the warm rust color of Corten steel. Its page says the color is individual to each piece and deepens over time, outdoors especially, and that the urn is suited to indoor display or placement outdoors. It is 17 cm (6.69 in) high and 8.5 cm (3.35 in) wide and holds 1 liter (about 61 cubic inches). The lid closes once the ashes are inside, and a little clear adhesive around the rim is optional if you want to seal it for good.

Pictured: Dimension Pet Urn for Ashes in Corten Steel

This is the wrong choice if you want the ashes to return to the soil. A metal urn keeps them contained. For that, see the next idea. There are more weatherproof designs in our outdoor urns for ashes.

4. Bury them in the garden

Many pets had a place in the garden that was theirs. Burying the ashes there in a biodegradable urn lets the urn and the ashes go back to the ground together.

The Gentle Pawprints Biodegradable Pet Urn for Ashes in Green is made by hand from natural materials for land burial. It is a compact rectangular urn with rounded edges, a matte moss green finish, a band of embossed pawprints around the top and a single paw on the front. It is 14 cm (5.51 in) high and holds 0.85 liters (about 52 cubic inches). The ashes go straight in and the lid is set back in place. Other designs are in our biodegradable burial urns.

Pictured: Gentle Pawprints Biodegradable Pet Urn for Ashes in Green

Garden burial is not the best choice if you rent or expect to move, because a biodegradable urn cannot be lifted later. In that case, bury only part of the ashes, or keep them in an urn that can travel with you. Mark the spot with a plant or a stone so you can find it again.

In England: what the Environment Agency says

The Environment Agency's guidance for England says: "You do not need permission to scatter or bury ashes from a single pet cremation on your own land, or make any formal record of doing so. You should get permission from the landowner if you want to scatter or bury ashes on someone else's land." (Environment Agency, Animal burials: prevent groundwater pollution, published April 1, 2022, read on October 6, 2026). That guidance applies to England. Elsewhere, rules differ between countries and local areas, so check yours if you are unsure. This is general information, not legal advice.

5. Scatter them somewhere they loved

A regular walk, a field, a beach, the end of the garden. Scattering suits people who do not want to keep an object and would rather return their pet to a place it knew. It cannot be undone. If you think you may want somewhere to visit later, or something to hold, keep a little back. You can always scatter the rest another day.

People often ask whether pet ashes can be scattered anywhere. On your own land in England, the Environment Agency guidance quoted above says you do not need permission. Anywhere else, ask the owner or whoever manages the land first: a park authority, a farmer, a beach owner. Other countries and local areas have their own rules.

A scattering tube is easier to manage than an open bag, especially in a breeze. The Dogs Eco Friendly Scattering Tube for Pet Ashes - Medium is made from recycled paper with no metal or plastic parts, and is printed with a row of dogs of different breeds against soft, pale flowers. You lift the lid, pour the ashes in and replace the lid. When you are ready, a perforated tab pushes in to release a steady stream. It is 25.7 cm (10.1 in) high and holds 1.64 liters (about 100 cubic inches).

Pictured: Dogs Eco Friendly Scattering Tube for Pet Ashes - Medium

For a smaller animal, the Paws to Paradise Eco Friendly Scattering Tube for Pet Ashes - Small works the same way. It is 22.6 cm (8.9 in) high and holds 0.66 liters (about 40 cubic inches). There are more in our scatter tubes, and our guide on how to scatter ashes covers the practical side.

6. Say goodbye on water

For a dog who could not pass a river without going in, a farewell on water can feel right. A water urn is set on the surface, floats for a short time, then sinks and breaks down.

The Oceane Sand Biodegradable Water Urn for Pet Ashes - Medium is a rounded, lidded urn in a warm sand color with pawprints pressed into the side, made from biodegradable material with no plastic or metal parts. The ashes go into the biodegradable bag supplied, the bag is sealed and returned to the urn, and the lid is pressed closed. No glue is needed. It is 16.5 cm (6.5 in) high and 15.2 cm (6.0 in) across and holds 0.82 liters (about 50 cubic inches). The same design is also listed in small and large, and there are more in our water urns for ashes.

Pictured: Oceane Sand Biodegradable Water Urn for Pet Ashes - Medium

A water urn is not for you if you would like to keep the urn afterwards, or if you want a place you can return to and stand beside.

In England: scattering on rivers

The same Environment Agency guidance says that if you scatter ashes across surface waters, such as a river, you should make sure the effect on the environment and wildlife is minimal and that it will not affect other users of the watercourse, and you should not scatter any memorabilia or other items (Environment Agency, published April 1, 2022, read on October 6, 2026).

In the United States: the sea burial permit covers people only

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asks on its burial at sea page whether pet or non-human remains can be buried at sea under its general permit, and answers: "No. The MPRSA general permit at 40 C.F.R. 229.1 authorizes the burial at sea of human remains only." (EPA, Burial at Sea, last updated August 26, 2026). The same page says that scattering cremated remains in lakes, rivers or other inland waters is not regulated under that federal law, but that states may have their own requirements, and it advises contacting the state environmental agency, health agency or mortuary board. So in the United States, check with your state before planning a water farewell for a pet.

7. Plant something in their memory

A tree, a rose or a shrub gives you something living to look after, and something that changes with the seasons. Many people plant over or beside the place where a biodegradable urn is buried, so the plant marks the spot. A large pot does the same job if you may move house one day.

We do not sell a tree-planting kit for pets, so there is no product to show here. Our guide on how to grow a tree from ashes looks at that choice more closely.

8. Keep a little in a keepsake

A keepsake holds a token amount. It is useful when most of the ashes are being scattered or buried and you would still like to keep something, or when more than one household wants a share.

The Brushed Metal Heart Keepsake Urn for Ashes with Paw Print Motif (60ml) is a brass heart with a dark gunmetal finish and polished brass paw prints. It is about 7 cm (2.8 in) across and 4.5 cm (1.8 in) high, small enough to sit in the palm of a hand, and it holds 0.06 liters (60 ml, about 3.7 cubic inches). A screw cap in the base closes it. Its page is clear that it is intended for a token portion of ashes, not the full remains of a pet.

Pictured: Brushed Metal Heart Keepsake Urn for Ashes with Paw Print Motif - 60ml

A keepsake always goes alongside another choice. You will still need to decide what to do with the rest.

9. Wear a little in a pendant

Ashes jewellery holds a symbolic amount in a small sealed chamber. The Self-fill Paw Print Memorial Ashes Pendant is an oval pendant with a single paw print in one corner, made from 925 sterling silver with rhodium plating. It is 3 cm (about 1.2 in) high and 2.1 cm (about 0.8 in) wide. You fill it yourself at home, and a 46 cm (18 inch) chain is included. There are more designs in our pet ashes jewellery.

A pendant is not the right choice if filling a very small chamber sounds stressful, or if you would worry every day about losing it. A keepsake that stays at home may suit you better.

You may also see companies that set a small amount of ashes into glass, or make memorial stones or diamonds from them. We do not make these, so we cannot describe how they work or recommend a maker.

10. Keep them so you can be buried together

Some people keep a pet's ashes at home with the wish that, one day, the ashes will be buried with them. Whether that can happen depends on where you live and on the cemetery.

In the United States: New York State

The rules differ from state to state. As one example, the New York Department of State's Division of Cemeteries explains that a cemetery may choose to inter pet cremated remains, but is not required to. Its page says this is available "where the interment is incidental to the burial of human remains", that the remains must go in a grave, crypt or niche that contains or will contain human remains, and that scattering them in the cemetery is not allowed (New York Department of State, Pet Cremated Remains Frequently Asked Questions, read on October 6, 2026). Other states have their own rules, so ask the cemetery you have in mind.

In the United Kingdom

We have not found an official government page that sets out one clear rule for the UK, so we do not state one here. Ask the cemetery, churchyard or natural burial ground directly, and ask in good time. If it matters to you, write your wishes down and tell the person who will arrange your funeral where your pet's ashes are kept.

Until then, the ashes need an urn that closes securely and will last. Any of the urns under idea 1 would do.

The pieces in this guide, side by side

• Sleeping Dog Urn for Ashes in Grey: 3.3 liters (about 201 cubic inches). Screw closure in the base. Indoor or outdoor display.
• Sleeping Rabbit Pet Urn for Ashes in White: 0.6 liters (about 37 cubic inches). Opening in the base. For the home.
• Pawprints Pet Urn for Ashes in White - Medium: 0.5 liters (about 30.5 cubic inches). Base opening with a silicone closure. Indoor display.
• Pawprints Candle Pet Urn for Ashes in Grey - Small: 0.4 liters (about 24.4 cubic inches). Screw closure in the base. Indoor display.
• Dimension Pet Urn for Ashes in Corten Steel: 1 liter (about 61 cubic inches). Lid, with optional adhesive. Indoors or in the garden.
• Gentle Pawprints Biodegradable Pet Urn for Ashes in Green: 0.85 liters (about 52 cubic inches). Fitted lid. Land burial.
• Dogs Eco Friendly Scattering Tube for Pet Ashes - Medium: 1.64 liters (about 100 cubic inches). Lift-off lid and push-in tab. Scattering.
• Oceane Sand Biodegradable Water Urn for Pet Ashes - Medium: 0.82 liters (about 50 cubic inches). Press-closed lid, bag supplied. Water.
• Brushed Metal Heart Keepsake Urn for Ashes with Paw Print Motif (60ml): 0.06 liters (about 3.7 cubic inches). Screw cap in the base. A token amount only.

You can choose more than one, and you can wait

None of these rules out the others. Some families scatter most of the ashes on a favorite walk and keep a little in a keepsake. Some keep everything in an urn for a year or two and bury it later, when it feels right. If the people in your home want different things, the ashes can be shared.

There is no time limit. Ashes kept in their sealed bag, somewhere dry, will wait for as long as you need. If your pet was a dog or a cat, our guides on what you can do with your dog's ashes and what to do with your cat's ashes go into more detail, and there are more ways to remember them in our memorial ideas for your beloved pet.

Sizes and product details in this guide were checked against our product pages on October 6, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What can I do with my pet's ashes?

You can keep them at home in an urn, place an urn in the garden, bury them in a biodegradable urn, scatter them somewhere your pet loved, set them on water in a water urn, or keep a token amount in a keepsake or pendant. Many people combine two or more of these.

Is it all right to keep pet ashes at home?

Yes. Many people keep a pet's ashes at home in an urn, and nothing about it has to be permanent. You can keep them for as long as you like and decide on something else later.

Can I scatter my pet's ashes anywhere?

Not anywhere. In England, the Environment Agency says you do not need permission to scatter or bury ashes from a single pet cremation on your own land, and that you should get the landowner's permission on someone else's land. Rules differ in other countries, so check locally.

Can I bury my pet's ashes in the garden?

In England, the Environment Agency says you do not need permission to bury ashes from a single pet cremation on your own land. A biodegradable urn made for land burial returns to the ground with the ashes. It is not the best choice if you rent or expect to move.

Can my pet's ashes be buried with me?

It depends on where you live and on the cemetery. In New York State, for example, the Division of Cemeteries says a cemetery may choose to inter pet cremated remains with human remains but is not required to. Ask the cemetery or burial ground you have in mind.

Can pet ashes be scattered at sea in the United States?

Not under the federal burial at sea permit. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says its general permit authorizes the burial at sea of human remains only. For lakes and rivers, the EPA advises checking with the state.

Do I have to decide what to do with my pet's ashes right away?

No. There is no time limit. Ashes kept in their sealed bag, somewhere dry, will wait for as long as you need.