Pet Urns in the United States
From a simple wooden box to a sculpted figurine, pet urns vary a lot in price and lead time. This page helps families in the United States choose calmly, with real price ranges.
- Sourced urn prices by material
- Engraving and delivery times explained
- Keepsakes for family in other cities
the United States
Pet Urns in the United States: what to know
Buying a pet urn in the United States is easier than it used to be, with crematory ranges, online sellers and independent makers all delivering nationwide. The trade-offs are delivery time and the risk of damage in transit. Solid wood and metal travel best; ceramic and glass need careful packing.
In the United States, most families first see urns at the pet crematory, which usually offers a small range with its private cremation service. You're never obliged to buy one there. Many people take the ashes home in the temporary container and choose an urn later from an online seller or a local maker.
We cover 2458 communities in the United States, from New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago to smaller towns. Conditions vary a lot across the United States: summer highs reach about 107°F in Phoenix, while winter lows average -11°F in Fairbanks. In 51% of the the United States communities we cover, average lows drop below freezing for three months or more, which matters for home burial.
Our estimate
63,790,000
Estimated pet-owning households across the communities we cover in the United States
How we calculated this
The sum of our per-city estimates for the 2458 communities in the United States on this site: each city's population ÷ national average household size × the national share of households with a pet. Households with several pets count once.
Browse United States by region
Pick your state or region to see every community we cover there, or jump straight to one of the largest cities.
- New York CityNew York
- Los AngelesCalifornia
- ChicagoIllinois
- HoustonTexas
- PhoenixArizona
- PhiladelphiaPennsylvania
- San AntonioTexas
- San DiegoCalifornia
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Local cremation habits and the urn question
About 55.7%[1] of people in the United States are cremated, so cremation and burial both have a place here. For pets, cremation is by far the more practical choice, and many families in the United States end up with an urn even if their own family tradition leans towards burial. Some bridge the two by burying the urn itself, in a garden or a pet cemetery, which gives a graveside feeling without a full burial.
That the United States rate is a human statistic published by NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024); there is no pet equivalent, so we use it as a signal of how families here already think.
What families in the United States typically pay for an urn
If part of the ashes will go into the ground, the cost picture changes. Biodegradable pet urns run $15–$80[2] in one national guide, and outdoor rock or sandstone urns made to sit in a garden cost $300–$395[3] at one crematory network. A simple engraved garden stone over buried ashes is cheaper still: by our estimate, entry prices sit at ~$39[4] across three US sellers. For many the United States families, that pairing costs less than one marble urn.
One industry report says personalized pet urns range from about $50 to more than $1,000[5], and most of that spread comes from hand work: a sculpted figurine or a commissioned ceramic takes far longer than a laser-engraved box. Basic urns start at around $50[6]. For most the United States families, the sweet spot is a solid wooden or ceramic urn with name engraving, well under $200 all in.
| Urn or extra | Typical price | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic urn | $20–$100[7] | Colorful and light; can chip in shipping |
| Wooden urn | $30–$150[8] | Warm look, engraves well; fades in strong sun |
| Metal urn (brass, aluminum) | $40–$200[9] | Compact, often a threaded lid |
| Marble or stone urn | $80–$300[10] | Heavy and durable; each piece unique |
| Photo urn | $40–$150[11] | Frame or printed panel on the front |
| Keepsake or mini urn | $15–$60[12] | Holds a small share of ashes |
| Biodegradable urn | $15–$80[2] | For burial or water, not display |
| Name-only engraving | $15–$25[13] | Name and dates cost a little more |
| Photo engraving | $40–$100[14] | Ask for a proof first |
| Source | Memorials.com pet urn cost guide | Shipping not included |
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Where you can scatter or bury ashes in the United States
Keeping a pet's ashes at home in an urn is allowed almost everywhere, and you don't need anyone's permission. The rules come in when the ashes leave the house: scattering in public places, burying an urn in a garden or sending ashes by post. Here's the basic picture for the United States.
What to do first, and what can wait
- Leave the temporary container sealed until the urn has arrived and you've checked it.
- Read how the urn opens. Many wooden urns open from the base with small screws; many metal ones have a threaded lid.
- Lay out a towel or tray on a table, and have a spoon or funnel ready in case you need it.
- Place the sealed bag inside and fold the top over. Only open the bag if it truly won't fit.
- Close and secure the urn; on a threaded lid, a touch of glue keeps children and other pets from working it loose.
- Recycle or keep the temporary box; plenty of people store it alongside the paperwork, since it's part of the story.
Keeping your pet close in the United States
Some families in the United States put together a small memorial shelf: the urn, a framed photo, a paw print and the tag from their pet's collar. It becomes a place to stop for a moment rather than a shrine. If you'd like a paw print and didn't get one before the cremation, a photo-engraved paw design on the urn itself is a gentle alternative.
Compare every option on our services page, try the free planning tools or see how other readers answered in our polls. You can also go back to all locations.
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?
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How would you move the ashes from the temporary container into the urn?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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Free tools to help you plan
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
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.
Questions people ask
How many dog- and cat-owning homes are there across the United States?
By our estimate, about 63,790,000 households across the United States communities we cover have a dog or cat. It's a rough figure from census household counts and national ownership surveys, but it shows why most crematories and memorial sellers here offer a range of urns and keepsakes.
How many communities do you cover in the United States?
We currently have local pet urn guides for 2458 communities in the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. Each page covers local price ranges, delivery and engraving timing, climate tips for indoor and outdoor urns, and the basic rules for scattering and burial.
Do crematories in the United States sell urns?
Almost all do, and many include a basic urn or box in their private cremation package. Their range is usually modest but sized to the ashes they return. You're free to decline it and buy elsewhere; the ashes are safe in the temporary container until your urn arrives.
Should I choose the urn before or after the cremation?
Either works. Choosing before means the ashes can come home already in the urn; choosing after gives you time and lets you size it to the actual ashes. Most families in the United States choose after, keeping the ashes in the temporary container for a few weeks while they decide.
Where can I scatter my pet's ashes in the United States?
Private land with the owner's permission is the simplest choice. Parks, beaches and waterways often have their own rules, and some ask you to request permission first. Pick a quiet spot away from paths and water intakes, scatter close to the ground and downwind, and consider keeping a little back in a keepsake.
Is there free pet loss support in the United States?
Yes. University vet schools in the US offer free phone support: Cornell's pet loss hotline is answered by vet students with grief-counseling training, and Tufts runs a helpline too. Many local crematories and vet clinics also run support groups or keep a list of counselors. Reaching out doesn't need a reason beyond missing your pet.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected New York's cremation rate at 55.7% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [2] Memorials.com's pet urn cost guide puts biodegradable pet urns at $15–$80. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [3] Outdoor rock and sandstone pet urns cost $300–$395 at Final Gift; a scattering tube costs $18. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [4] Engraved pet garden stones start at about $39 at the median of three US sellers. Our estimate: median of starting prices [$38 Adirondack, $38.95 Memorials.com, $89.99 Comfort Co.]. How we calculate.
- [5] 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.
- [6] CareCredit says basic pet urns start at around $50, and private cremation ashes usually come back within a week or two. CareCredit – How Much Does Pet Cremation Cost?, 2023.
- [7] Memorials.com puts ceramic pet urns at $20–$100. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [8] Memorials.com puts wooden pet urns at $30–$150. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [9] Memorials.com puts metal pet urns at $40–$200. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [10] Memorials.com puts marble and stone pet urns at $80–$300. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [11] Memorials.com puts photo pet urns at $40–$150 and glass pet urns at $50–$250. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [12] Keepsake or mini pet urns cost about $15–$60, versus $25–$100 for small and $40–$200 for medium urns (Memorials.com). Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [13] Simple name-only engraving on a pet urn typically adds $15–$25; name plus dates adds $25–$40. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [14] Photo engraving on a pet urn typically adds $40–$100, and a full epitaph $50–$100. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [15] A 1 oz keepsake urn can cost about a third more than a full-size wooden urn at the same crematory. Our estimate: CA$106 heart keepsake / CA$79 solid wood urn. How we calculate.
Find an urn that fits, delivered to the United States
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.