Table of Contents
- Cremation or Burial?
- Dog Cremation Cost Breakdown
- Dog Cremation: Step by Step Guide
- Do You Get Your Dog's Ashes Back?
- Do ashes from cremations smell?
- How long do Pet ashes last?
- Dog Cremation Cost: Summary
Planning dog cremation is an emotional process, but preparations are key to saving on costs and ensuring a smooth process.
In this article, we will explore how much does it cost to cremate a dog costs, where to find dog cremation services and how to shop for dog cremation urns, boxes, and jewelry, and everything that comes with the process.
But don't feel guilty if dog cremation price is a big factor for you. We all want our dogs to pass The Rainbow Bridge in good health, but pet owners on a budget only have so much money to spend.
Furthermore, figuring out how much is it to cremate a dog in advance is a responsible thing to do.
However, dog cremation isn't your only option; you can also legally bury your dog, but it's best to do your research ahead of time.
In addition, take into consideration where you live.
Do you have enough room in your yard for a burial plot?
On the other hand, does your city have a pet cemetery?
And are there certain times of the year when the ground is frozen in your region?
Cremation or Burial?
Firstly, we all want the best for our pets.
So maybe you're questioning if cremation really is the best choice?
Moreover, there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing this option.
Factors can include, financial situations, access to these resources, and even religious beliefs.
While some people choose dog burial to keep their pet’s remains in their backyard per tradition, this is not legal everywhere.
Local laws can prevent pet burial in specific zoning areas.
When this is the case, you can choose to bury your dog at a pet crematory.
However, the dog burial process is far more expensive than cremation.
Not only do you have to pay for a pet casket for your pooch and for the full burial service, but you must also pay for a plot of land in which to bury your dog.
For example, the average cost of a burial plan for a pet in the US is between $1,500 and $2,000 (on the lower end).
This compares to under $700 for an extra-large dog’s cremation, a witnessing fee, a transfer fee, and a $300 urn with some change to spare!
Below is the difference between cremation and pet burial.
Pet Cremation
- Pet cremation is more environmentally friendly than burial
- You can still have a memorial with pet cremation
- You can take care of your pet more with a private pet crematory
- You can choose to have the cremains or ashes returned to you
- More time-efficient
- More affordable
Pet Burial
- Pet cemeteries offer a more comforting place for visiting
- Creates a great memorial for pets
- Home burial is an option. However, you'll need a permit burial and you'll not be able to bring it when you move
Dog Cremation Cost Breakdown
When to Start Planning for Dog Cremation?
Firstly, If your dog has been diagnosed with a fatal illness but still has a good quality of life, this could be the time to start planning about dog cremation costs.
Because there's no way to get around this. You may have weeks or months left with your dog, but you will never know for sure.
Meanwhile, another time to start planning is when your dog reaches their geriatric years or enters the end of “life expectancy” for its breed (which varies by breed).
Sure, some dogs exceed their average life expectancy, but this would be a good time to start getting prepared nonetheless.
Because dogs instinctively begin to change their behavior when death is approaching, when you notice signs that your pet's health is failing, and a vet has confirmed this, you should start thinking about your options.
Furthermore, signs of a dying dog may include changes in appetite, changes in thirst, changes in consciousness, lethargy, slowed breathing, and decreased interest in things the dog previously enjoyed.
Meanwhile, studies show that signs your dog is dying are very typical, so in most cases, you'll notice them and be able to tell that your Fido is behaving differently.
Moreover, before you make any decisions, rule out all other causes.
In the last few days, it's prudent to visit your veterinarian to ensure that these things are not the result of any treatable illness.
Unfortunately, in senior dogs at the end of life expectancy, these are often signs of a preparation for death.
As your dog begins making these “preparations,” so too should you.
How Much Does It Cost to Cremate a Dog?
Generally, pet owners should expect to pay between $75 and $250 for dog cremation costs depending on several variables.
But if you're on a tight budget, I recommend you locate the nearest crematoriums and send them an email for an accurate price.
Search for “dog cremation near me” – most cities have these services.
However, a few factors go into figuring out how much to cremate a dog costs.
Primarily, dog cremation cost will depend on your location, the company or service you choose, the type of dog cremation procedure, and the size of your dog.
In addition, while dog cremation prices vary, you can expect to pay along with the following price points:
| Private Cremation | Individual (Partitioned) Cremation | Communal Cremation | |
| 1-30 lbs. | $175 | $110 | $75 |
| 31-60 lbs. | $200 | $125 | $90 |
| 61-90 lbs. | $225 | $135 | $110 |
| 91-120 lbs. | $250 | $145 | $125 |
Additional Dog Cremation Fees
Firstly, depending upon the type of pet cremation you choose and the facility you select, you may also be faced with additional dog cremation costs.
Note that these numbers are averages, so don't be surprised if the actual price is slightly higher or lower.
$75 Witness Fee – This is for pet owners who wish to be present at their dog's private cremation process.
Not all facilities will allow this, so check if this is important to you in advance.
$60 Transfer Fee – This is a fee for transferring your dog's remains to the crematorium.
It may involve the crematorium picking up the dog’s remains from your home or from a veterinarian’s office.
Moreover, this fee usually only covers a select travel radius, so be sure to inquire about the place beforehand.
The average travel radius is around 20 miles.
Furthermore, the above prices are only for the dog cremation service.
Another additional cost you may want to consider if you want to keep your pet's remains at home instead of burying the dog in a pet coffin is the cost of dog cremation urns or boxes.
Dog Cremation Urns
Meanwhile, if you choose a private dog cremation service or find a facility that offers partitioned individual cremation of pets, and you want to bring your dog’s ashes home, you will need to select a cremains (cremated remains) container for storing your pet's ashes.
Cremains containers are most often urns, decorative boxes, or statues.
However, prices on dog cremation urns and containers vary drastically since so much variety is available.
You can find containers that cost between $25 and well over $1000.
Above all, remember to include this additional expense if your goal is to figure out a full breakdown of how much it cost to cremate a dog with everything included in the final package.
Moreover, you can purchase dog cremation urns from the facility that performs the service.
This may be more convenient but they're generally more expensive, too.
However, you can get cheap dog cremation urns; Amazon and other online retailers offer good prices for great-looking pet cremation urns for dogs – see some of the best dog cremation urns below.
- Perfect Memorials Dog in Basket Urns
- Beautiful Life Urns
- LifeSong Milestones Cremation Urns
- AngelStar 5-Inch Pet Urn For Dogs
- Best Friend Servies Pet Urn
Finally, if you want to commemorate your dying dog and don't mind the costs, the most expensive services are engravings on pet cremains urns and containers.
However, most dog cremation box options you'll purchase will be good for any dog, so the only consideration is the two or three sizes of the urn and the style and design.
Dog Cremation Jewelry
Lastly, this part of dog cremation cost and budgeting is not essential but may help a pet owner feel better and remember their pup – dog cremation jewelry.
Furthermore, these are necklaces with funnel filler, allowing you to store a tiny amount of your dog's ashes inside.
Most of them can be customized so you can engrave a message, too.
Again, a dog cremation necklace is likely sold by the crematorium or whichever dog cremation services you're using but may be slightly more expensive.
However, for affordable options, some of the best dog cremation jewelry options can be found online, like these below:
- WINNICACA Cremation Jewelry For Pet Ashes
- Aniu Dog Cremation Jewelry For Ashes
- Minicremation Cremation Jewelry Urn Necklace
Moreover, the above information will help you figure out how much to cremate a dog would cost in the end.
But other than prices, you'll need to do a few more preparations: write down your contact points, prices, and prepayments.
This will help you to stay on top of things when your mental clarity is tested.
Dog Cremation: Step by Step Guide
Step 1: Choose a Dog Cremation Option
First, you need to know is that you have three options when it comes to cremating a dog. Here's what is available to you:
- Private dog cremation
- Individual dog cremation
- Communal dog cremation
Private cremation of a dog – Similarly, an idea to human cremation. Your dog is cremated individually.
If you choose to receive his ashes, then the ashes that you're getting will be those of only your dog.
Individual dog cremation – This is a process where pets are cremated in a larger cremation unit, but partitions are used to separate the pets from one another.
However, due to the way this process works, if you choose to receive your dog’s ashes back, you may also get some ashes of other animals cremated at the same time in that unit.
Communal pet cremation – This is where multiple pets are cremated at once in one large cremation unit.
However, this process results in all the pets' ashes being commingled, so when choosing this option, ashes are not returned to you.
Step 2: How to Choose Dog Cremation Services
Every city has a selection of cat and dog cremation services and facilities that work with local veterinarians. You can easily Google “dog cremation services near me” to find a facility closest to you or get a recommendation from your veterinarian.
Most importantly, a consultation with a veterinarian is highly recommended, however, for a few reasons.
And after discussing the process with your vet, you may have some questions about the facility that they recommend.
However, you may also want to compare them to other places. First, begin this process by searching online for local pet crematoriums.
Moreover, most locations have a website that offers basic information about their services.
Meanwhile, don't be afraid to call the location to speak with someone directly about their dog cremation service and how much to cremate a dog costs at their place.
For example, I temporarily live in Los Angeles. I simply went online and search for “best pet crematorium near me” and got a bunch of applicable results.
There's some known Paws Pet Cremation company, and a whole Yelp page is dedicated to that.
Try this.
Furthermore, you may want to visit the dog crematorium beforehand, and this isn't a bad idea.
However, be aware that most places require you to call ahead and get permission from someone at the facility instead of just showing up.
How to know if a crematorium is a right place?
Furthermore, a good crematorium will obviously be the one that has not been noted in the news or in any public records for their unethical pet cremation practices or questionable conduct.
And you'd be surprised how often dog cremation services have been dealing with the law.
Moreover, another thing to consider is that your dog's crematorium should be forthcoming with information about their pet cremation cost and process.
Most importantly, look for a facility that has a good reputation in the veterinary community and one that makes you feel comfortable.
And this is why consulting with a vet (or even a few of them) is best.
Finally, since you're trying to figure out how much to cremate a dog costs so you calculate your expenses, remember to ask about the final prices and any additional or hidden fees. Put those numbers into your budget; it may just come down to this in the end.
Step 3: Planning with the Pet Crematorium
Thirdly, when you have chosen a pet crematorium that you feel comfortable with, you want to ask them specific questions to find out more about their dog cremation process.
Meanwhile, feel free to bring in a list of the questions you want to ask, including how much dog cremation is in total.
Because that way you won't forget anything if you begin to feel overwhelmed, which – from personal experience – definitely may happen.
Some questions you may want to ask of dog crematorium employees:
- How much does it cost to cremate a dog at their place in total?
- Are there any additional or hidden fees you should be aware of?
- Do they work directly with veterinarians, and if so, is your vet on the list?
- If they don't, are they willing to pick up your dog from your vet?
- Will the crematorium pick up your dog's remains if he passes away at home?
- If they will, do they have any specific pick-up days and hours?
- How long will they hold your dog’s remains before cremating him?
- How long will the whole dog cremation procedure take?
- How long before you can pick up your pet's ashes to take home?
- Do they offer a selection of cremains urns or containers?
- Can you use a pet cremains container that you bought yourself?
Furthermore, these are just some sample questions that you should inquire about. But make sure to write down anything else that comes to your mind, and don't be shy about asking.
Above all, be as thorough as you can with these questions. And particularly when it comes to discussing how much is dog cremation at their place and any additional fees or charges.
In addition, asking plenty of right questions will help you to get a better picture of whether the dog cremation facility you have chosen is right for you.
Because this process will also help you to make a more detailed written plan should someone help you with the end-of-life process.
Step 4: Consult with Your Veterinarian
Fourthly, once you have figured out how much it costs to have a dog cremated and have written down a full plan of action for your pet’s cremation process, it is important to talk to your veterinarian about the choices you're making for your canine. This will let your vet know ahead of time what your plan is.
Moreover, discussing this with a vet will also help them to collaborate with the dog crematorium you have chosen if your pet undergoes euthanasia.
These dog cremation and euthanasia services are often called “End of Life Service“.
And you can also pick them separately, or alongside the whole cremation procedure.
Your vet will give you more details on this.
With all the above in mind, it's best to make a full copy of your plan of action.
Including the pet crematorium of your choice, the specific type of dog cremation services you pick, how much dog cremation will cost you, and any other details.
Furthermore, show this to your veterinarian so they can keep it in your personal client file, and have it ready.
Moreover, when consulting your vet about cremating a dog, ask them if there is anything you have neglected in your plan or if there is something else that they would recommend covering.
Moreover, two common questions tend to come up at this time:
- “How do I know that the ashes I get back will be that of my pet?”
- “What do I do if my dog dies at home of natural causes?”
This is something on every pet owner's mind, so vets usually have answers to these questions. But in case you're wondering, here's what it is.
“How do I know that the ashes I get back will be that of my pet?”
Moreover, the most frequently asked vets question when it comes to the dog cremation process is about the integrity of the ashes that are returned.
And this is a question that people are often afraid to ask of the crematoriums, so they consult their vet instead.
Unfortunately, the answer isn't the one that you wish to hear, unfortunately: there's no way to be sure that the ashes that you get back are those of your pet.
Meanwhile, the best option is to select well-reviewed and reputable dog cremation services that have a great reputation.
But if your vet and others use a particular service, it is usually the safest way.
“What do I do if my dog dies at home naturally?”
In addition, this is a major concern for many pet owners, but it shouldn’t be. Statistics show that only 10% of dogs naturally pass away at home.
However, if this does happen, you'll still want to know what you should do and who you should call.
And so if you discover that your dog has passed away during your vet’s business hours, you can take him to the vet’s office where they can follow your arrangement plan to a letter.
Moreover, your vet will also be able to hold your dog's remains until they can be picked up by the pet crematorium you chose.
But if you discover that your canine has passed away outside your vet’s business hours, you can take him to a local emergency vet clinic.
Thirdly, another option in this circumstance is to call an in-home pet euthanization service – “End of Life Services” – to pick up your dog’s remains and take them to your chosen crematorium.
And finally, the fourth option in this situation is to have the dog crematorium pick up your pet’s remains directly from you, but only if this is a service they offer.
Step 5: When Dog Cremation Time Comes
Lastly, you've put together a solid action plan, you know how much is a cremation and all additional fees, you've consulted with your vet and you're ready.
So when the time comes to carry out your dog’s cremation plan, keep a copy of that plan on hand.
Moreover, your vet should already have the same copy in your personal file.
So if you are taking your pet to the vet’s office for euthanasia or for dropping off their remains, remind them that they have your plan with all the details on the dog cremation services.
On the other hand, this will take the pressure off you to remember your plan or think the process through during a very emotional time. If you are having your dog euthanized, remind the vet receptionist of your plan before the procedure and pay ahead of time for their services.
However, if your pet is picked up from your home, provide a copy of your requests to the individual picking up your dog. Understanding how much to cremate a dog is important, but it will be the last thing you're thinking about when the time comes.
Furthermore, the payment policy for pet crematoriums will vary by location, but you are strongly encouraged to pay for your dog's cremation services ahead of time.
This will avoid any additional stress during this or later tough times.
If you do not pay for pet cremation ahead of time, make sure you are familiar with their payment process.
Do You Get Your Dog's Ashes Back?
Moreover, another great benefit of dog cremation is that your dog's remains can be returned to you.
In Private and Divided cremation, you'll be able to keep the ashes.
However, choosing Communal cremations, your pup will be cremated alongside other pets.
In this method, they will not be able to separate your dog's ashes from other pets or animals.
Your best option would be individual cremation.
Most importantly, always thoroughly do your research on the cremation services of your choice.
Can you put your pet's ashes in your casket or coffin?
Dogs are often considered to be part of the family.
That's why many people wonder if they can spend the rest of their lives with their pets.
If the pet dies first, they can now keep the remains until the owner dies.
You can ask the funeral head to put the ashes in the coffin or casket.
However, this depends on your location.
There are still other states that prohibit pets and humans to be buried together.
Can Dog Toys or Favorite Items also be Cremated?
Furthermore, pet crematoriums usually don't allow plastic toys or items with your dog's cremation.
The reason behind this is that these plastics can be a cause of malfunction on their equipment.
However, some crematories allow small pieces of blankets or blankets that are made with natural fibers.
All of this depends on the environmental rules in your area.
That's why it's important to research not only the crematories but also the regulations in your town.
Do ashes from cremations smell?
Furthermore, most people who keep the ashes of their pets or other family members say that they don't smell any odor at all from the remains.
However, few people say otherwise.
On the other hand, some people detect a very slight metallic odor.
But it really depends on the container where you'll put the ashes.
Moreover, if you see your other pets acting differently once the urn is at your home, this might be signs of loss or grief rather than reactions to the remains.
How long do Pet ashes last?
Cremation is still one of the most popular options for most people because it gives them the ability to hold onto their beloved pets before making the final decision of their resting place.
Moreover, a common question to ask is “how will the ashes last?”.
Well, it really depends on where would you put the ashes.
In addition, cremains buried in the ground will affect how long the degrading process occurs. Moreover, cremains in water distributes more quickly. There's evidence that suggests that cremains actually helps build artificial coral reefs.
Furthermore, cremains in an urn lasts for a very long time with the proper seal.
Choosing the right urn will improve the longevity of the ashes.
Selecting the most durable, high-quality, and secure urn will able to help you gain the advantage you need.
Above all, if you do have the budget, consulting with a professional will surely help. These companies can provide guidance for the proper product for your cremains.
Dog Cremation Cost: Summary
Preparing for this kind of tragedy is very hard. But you're here to know how much is a dog cremation.
You're doing a great job holding it together.
As we have established at the beginning of this article when your dog passes away, you have two options: Cremate your dog or bury him.
Moreover, pet cremation costs a lot cheaper than planning a burial.
Furthermore, dog cremation costs near you will depend on a lot of things.
You can choose three different options when choosing dog cremation.
Your three options are Private, Individual, and Communal.
After that, you'd have to choose a Dog Cremation Service.
These are facilities that work with your local vets. These are professional services that will help with your dog's cremation.
Your job as the paw-parent is to research the best crematorium for your pup.
Moreover, another factor to consider on dog cremation costs is your pup's size or weight.
This will be a big component of the cremation price.
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