Tell us about your pet, and we'll find urns that fit
Most private cremations return ashes within about 5-10 days[1] (per one urn retailer's guide), so a short note now gives time to line up an urn that's the right size and arrives when you need it.
- One short form, answered by email
- Capacity worked out from your pet's weight
- No obligation, and you order directly from the seller
Your request
What to include so we can match the right urn
You don't need to have anything decided. A few facts let us narrow hundreds of listings down to a handful that genuinely suit you. The more of these you can share, the more useful our reply will be:
- Your pet's weight, even a rough one. It sets the capacity, and capacity is the one thing that's hard to fix later.
- The kind of pet and breed, especially if you'd like a figurine urn that resembles them.
- The look you're drawn to: warm wood, glazed ceramic, stone, metal or something you can plant.
- Where it will live: a mantel, a bedside table, a bookcase, a sunny windowsill or outdoors.
- Personalization: a name, dates, a line of text or a photo you'd like on it.
- Sharing plans: whether anyone else would like a keepsake share.
- A date, if you're working toward a memorial gathering or an anniversary.
- A budget, if you have one in mind.
What happens next
What happens after you press send
Your request comes to our team, not to a list of sellers. We work out the capacity you need using the same rule as the urn size calculator, then look for urns from makers and sellers who ship to where you live. We reply by email with a short list, usually a few options at different price points, and for each one we note:
- the internal capacity in cubic inches, and whether the opening will take the sealed bag of ashes
- what personalization is possible and how the proof is approved
- the production time and the delivery method, so you can judge whether it will arrive in time
- the price, including engraving and shipping where the seller lists them
You then order directly from whichever seller you like, or not at all. If you'd like to compare costs across the whole farewell, the memorial budget planner is a quick way to see everything in one place.
Timing
How early to ask if you have a date in mind
Ashes often come home in about a week or two, but the published range is wide. Our estimate of a typical window is below; some providers are faster and some, especially in Scandinavia, quote several weeks.
3-14 days typical[2]
A stock urn can usually arrive within that window. An engraved or photo urn needs extra days for the proof, and a hand-made ceramic or custom figurine can take weeks. If there's a date that matters, tell us, and we'll only suggest pieces that can realistically make it. There's never any harm in keeping the ashes in their temporary container until the right urn arrives. Our guide to choosing an urn in advance covers ordering ahead.
When did you (or would you) buy the urn?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Your details
How we look after what you tell us
We use your details only to answer your request. They aren't published on this site, and you won't be signed up for anything you didn't ask for. If we need to share something with a seller to get an accurate answer, such as a capacity question about a specific urn, we share only the details needed for that question.
If you send a photo for a photo urn or figurine, we use it only to check it's suitable. Please don't send payment details, passwords or ID documents by email; you'll only ever pay the seller you choose, through their own checkout.
Scope
What we can and can't help with
We can help with main urns in any material, keepsake urns for sharing ashes, photo and engraved urns, figurine urns, and practical questions such as how to move ashes from the temporary container or where to display the urn. Our ashes sharing planner is useful if several people want a share.
We can't arrange the cremation itself, collect your pet, or buy an urn on your behalf. We also can't promise a seller's stock or delivery date; we can only pass on what they tell us. For wearable ash jewelry and garden memorial stones, our sister guides go into far more depth. For everything urn-related, see the full range of urn types or send the form above.
If you're still arranging the cremation, the ASPCA's end-of-life care page explains individual and communal cremation; usually only an individual (private) cremation returns ashes for an urn. If the loss is weighing on you, Cornell's pet loss resources list free support lines. When you feel ready to look at urns, our guide to urn materials and what size urn a dog needs are gentle places to start.
Giant breeds deserve a special note. A dog of about 108 lb returns roughly 3.8 lb[3] of ashes, so many decorative urns are simply too small. If your pet was large, mention it and we'll check capacity with extra care. One industry report says personalized pet urns range from about USD 50–1,000+[4], and we'll keep to your budget.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Will your pet's ashes stay together or be shared?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
When did you (or would you) buy the urn?
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When did you (or will you) decide on aftercare?
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Free tools to help you plan
Urn size calculator
Find the urn volume you need from your pet's weight, plus keepsake and sharing options.
Ashes sharing planner
Split ashes fairly between family members, keepsake urns and jewelry.
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Questions people ask
Do I have to buy anything after sending a request?
No. Our reply is a short list of options with notes, not a sales contract. You're free to buy from one of the sellers, find something else, or decide to wait. Many people keep the ashes in the temporary container for a while before choosing, and that's completely fine.
Can you help if the ashes are already home?
Yes, and it's often easier. If the ashes are home, you can measure or weigh the bag, which gives an exact volume instead of an estimate. Tell us the weight of the bag or the size of the temporary box, and we'll size the urn precisely.
What if I'm not sure which material I want?
Say so. Tell us where the urn will sit and what feels like your pet, perhaps a warm wooden look for a dog who lived on the sofa or something sleek for a cat. We'll include a spread of materials so you can compare them side by side.
Can you find urns that ship outside the US?
Often, yes. Let us know your country when you write. Heavy stone urns and fragile ceramics can be expensive or slow to ship internationally, so we'll flag delivery times and look for sellers closer to you where possible.
Should I send a photo for a figurine or photo urn?
It helps. A sharp photo with your pet's face in good light shows us markings and colors, so we can suggest breed figurines that match or sellers who paint custom likenesses. You'll still approve the final artwork directly with the maker before anything is produced.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] A US aftercare guide says many families receive private cremation ashes within about one to two weeks, with 5-10 days commonly quoted. Funeral.com - Pet Cremation Timelines: How Long Until Ashes Are Returned, 2026.
- [2] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
- [3] A median-weight giant-breed dog (48.8 kg / 108 lb) would be expected to return about 1.71 kg (3.8 lb) of cremated remains, needing an urn of about 108 cubic inches. Our estimate: 48.8 kg x 3.5% x 2.2046 lb/kg; urn = 108 lb x 1 cu in/lb. How we calculate.
- [4] Personalized pet urns range from about USD 50 to more than USD 1,000. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
Get urn options for your pet
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.