Pet urns in University Place: sizes, costs and engraving
By our estimate, about 13,000 households in University Place share their home with a dog or cat, and roughly 1,100 of those pets die each year. Many of their ashes come home needing an urn. Here's how to choose one well.
- Wood, ceramic, marble and brass compared
- Tips for moving ashes safely
- Ideas for apartments and houses
University Place, Washington
Choosing a pet urn in University Place
With relatives often spread across the country, and sometimes overseas, University Place families sometimes divide ashes between one principal urn and a handful of tiny vessels. A piece of jewelry or a sealed vial can go to each household. Mention the split before the cremation happens, and ask how small portions are packed for mailing or for a suitcase on the next move.
Many University Place households have modest yards or live in condos looking over the Narrows. Indoor memorials, like an urn on a bookcase, a framed nose print or a small glass keepsake, suit that kind of home. Military families from the nearby base often prefer pieces that pack easily, since orders can mean a move to another state or overseas within a few years.
In a smaller place like University Place, the urn usually comes from one of two places: the crematory your vet uses, often somewhere around Tacoma, or an online seller. The crematory's range may be small, but the pieces are chosen to fit the ashes they return. If you'd like to see the options, ask the vet for a printed catalog or photos rather than choosing a name from a list.
University Place's population is around 35,479, the 35th-largest of the 67 Washington communities we cover. Tacoma, roughly 6 miles off, is the closest larger centre, and a share of the providers who cover University Place run from there.
University Place sits within easy reach of Lakewood (4 miles), Tacoma (5 miles, a larger centre) and Gig Harbor (8 miles). A provider based in any of them will usually collect from University Place; ask what the mileage adds to the bill.
Our estimate
13,000
Estimated dog- or cat-owning households in University Place
How we calculated this
35,479 ÷ 2.5 = 14,192 households; × 53% (dog) + 39% (cat) = 13,000. A household with several pets counts once.
Our estimate
1,100
dog and cat deaths per year in University Place, our estimate
How we calculated this
13,000 dog/cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (dog: 12.69 yrs + cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 1,100 a year. Treat it as a minimum.
53%[1]
53% of US households own a dog, which is about 71 million households.
12.69 years[2]
US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years.
39%[3]
39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households.
11.18 years[4]
US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years.
We built the this numbers from American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry and Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, and both are worth a look if you want the detail.
Cremation in Washington, and what it means for urns
With roughly 79.1%[5] of people in Washington cremated, the question locally isn't whether to keep ashes but how. That's where urn choice comes in. Many people here have inherited a relative's urn and have strong opinions about what they'd do differently: a smaller size, a lid that screws shut, a material that doesn't show dust. Those lessons apply just as well to a pet.
The Washington figure comes from Direct Cremate (citing CANA) (2024). It describes people, not pets, so read it as a sign of local attitudes rather than a pet statistic.
Heat, cold and damp: materials for University Place
Gentle weather makes an outdoor urn in University Place a real option rather than a gamble. Some families keep a weatherproof urn in a sheltered corner of the garden or on a covered porch where they sit in the evenings. Choose a lid that seals with a gasket or a screw thread, and stand the urn on a paving slab so moisture from the soil can't wick into it.
Mild weather also makes outdoor gatherings easy, which is why many University Place families plan a small scattering or burial with friends a few weeks after the cremation. That gives time for an engraved urn or keepsakes to arrive, so everyone can take a share home on the day. If you're splitting ashes, the ashes sharing planner works out how much each person can have.
How much to budget for an urn
If part of the ashes will go into the ground, the cost picture changes. Biodegradable pet urns run $15–$80[6] in one national guide, and outdoor rock or sandstone urns made to sit in a garden cost $300–$395[7] at one crematory network. A simple engraved garden stone over buried ashes is cheaper still: by our estimate, entry prices sit at ~$39[8] across three US sellers. For many University Place families, that pairing costs less than one marble urn.
The Washington price table breaks costs down by product; our services page explains what sits behind each line.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Scattering and burial rules in Washington
If you rent in University Place, burying an urn in the yard needs your landlord's agreement, and homeowners' associations can have their own rules. Scattering on public land is usually tolerated when done discreetly, but it isn't always permitted. The notes below cover the basics for Washington; your city or county has the final word.
Not sure which office covers University Place? The Washington local government directory is the official list.
The Washington page sets out who oversees pet cremation and what the state says about burial and scattering. University Place's own bylaws can sit on top of that, so ask before you dig.
What to do first, and what can wait
- Leave the temporary container sealed right up until the new urn is in your hands and looked over.
- 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 across a table, with a funnel or spoon within reach should the bag need decanting.
- 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; a small dab of adhesive on a threaded lid stops curious hands and paws.
- Recycle or keep the temporary box; some families keep it with the certificate as part of the record.
Ways to remember your pet at home
Sea air and western Washington drizzle wear on outdoor memorials, so pick durable materials for anything placed in a garden bed. Dense stone and cast metal hold up; painted resin and untreated wood break down in a few winters. A marker set on a gravel base drains better and stays level. Inside the house, material matters far less, so choose a style you'll be glad to see.
or compare your instinct with the poll results, run the numbers with the free planning tools, go deeper with the guides or catch up on recent articles, See what each option includes on our services page. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Vancouver, Tacoma, Seattle and Spokane, and every city in Washington.
Reader polls
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Where does (or will) your pet's urn live?
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Will your pet's ashes stay together or be shared?
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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
Will I have to travel to Tacoma to arrange things?
Not usually. Providers based in Tacoma (roughly 6 miles from University Place) collect from here as a matter of routine, and the paperwork is done by email or phone. If you want to be present for a witnessed cremation, that is when the drive matters.
Which nearby towns can I compare with University Place?
The closest communities we cover are Lakewood (about 4 miles), Tacoma (about 5 miles) and Gig Harbor (about 8 miles). Providers based in those places often serve University Place too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Is cremation common in Washington?
For people, yes: about 79.1%[5] of Washington deaths end in cremation, according to Direct Cremate (citing CANA) (2024). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in University Place follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
Does the University Place climate change what I should do first?
Only the timing. In August, with highs near 78°F, cool the body and book collection the same day. Winters here are mild enough that burial or scattering is possible in any month.
What should I do with the temporary container once the ashes are in the urn?
Some families recycle it; many keep it, along with the crematory's certificate or identification tag, as part of the record of what happened. If you keep the ashes in their original sealed bag inside the urn, the bag and tag often stay together anyway. There's no right answer, so keep whatever feels meaningful.
What size urn does my dog or cat need?
The usual rule is one cubic inch of urn space for every pound your pet weighed when healthy. By that rule, a 12 lb cat needs about 12 cubic inches and a 70 lb dog about 70[9]. Add about 10% for room to close the lid. The urn size calculator works it out for you.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 53% of US households own a dog, which is about 71 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [2] US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [3] 39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [4] US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [5] Washington had a 79.1% cremation rate in 2024, among the highest in the US. Direct Cremate (citing CANA), 2024.
- [6] Memorials.com's pet urn cost guide puts biodegradable pet urns at $15–$80. Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide, 2025.
- [7] 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.
- [8] 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.
- [9] Using the industry rule of thumb of 1 cubic inch of urn space per pound of body weight, a 12 lb cat needs an urn of about 12 cubic inches; a 70 lb dog needs about 70 cubic inches. Our estimate: urn cu in = body weight lb x 1 (industry rule of thumb, not a measured value). How we calculate.
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