10 of the Best Things To Do With My Pet's Ashes
Saying goodbye to a beloved family pet is never easy. Pets are more than just animals; they are an important part of the family, and their absence can be felt in many ways. Pets bring routine to our lives, and their loss can leave a hole in their owner’s lives.
For many people, finding a way to memorialise their cat or dog properly can help them find closure. In particular, children can find it easier to achieve closure if they have found a way to memorialise their pets properly.
Thankfully, there are many creative ways you can memorialise your family pet by using their ashes to create a lasting memorial. So if you’re grieving a family pet and looking for a way to honour their memory and find closure, here are ten ways to memorials cats and dogs.
Scatter their ashes on their favourite walk
Your vet will often offer to have your pet cremated and return the ashes to you. But what are you supposed to do with the ashes? Scattering them is often a popular choice.
Dogs often have a favourite walk, which could be the perfect place to put them to rest. Taking one final walk with your dog’s ashes is an excellent way to say goodbye and find closure.
Many parks and trails will be happy for you to scatter your pet’s ashes, provided you ask permission and find a quiet place to do it.
Some people feel uncomfortable scattering all of their pet’s ashes, so they will scatter some and keep the rest in a decorative urn in their home.
This isn’t only limited to dogs – cats may also have a favourite spot. For example, if your cat was an outdoor cat, they might also have a favourite spot close to your house where you can scatter their ashes.
Turn their ashes into a fused glass artwork
Our fused glass artists can create stunning and unique memorial artworks from your pet’s ashes. This is the ideal addition to your home and can be an excellent alternative to an urn.
Fused glass art is ideal because it is bright and cheerful. It can also be incredibly stylish, which means it will fit into your existing home decor.
You could create a wall hanging that looks as stylish as a piece of art. Place your fused glass art by a window to reflect the light and give you a lasting reminder of your beloved pet.
Keep them close with pet ashes jewellery
Pet ashes can be added to jewellery to create a unique keepsake you can wear to keep them close forever. Pet ashes jewellery is a popular choice for men, women and especially children, as they may have a more challenging time letting their favourite pet go.
You could add pet ashes or hair to a pendant with a unique engraving. Or you could add them to cufflinks so your pet can be there on all future special occasions.
Pet ashes can also be incorporated into glass jewellery such as pendants, brooches, earrings and rings.
Create a memory box
Creating a memory box with your loved ones is an excellent way to say goodbye to a beloved cat or dog. You can include photographs, their favourite toys, a collar and a keepsake item that includes their ashes.
Having a memory box is a beautiful way to say goodbye, but you’ll also be able to get it out and remember your pet whenever you need to. This is an excellent way to help older children come to terms with the death of a pet.
You could also have the dog or cat ashes added to a memorial glass pebble to keep their memory alive for as long as you need.
Create a memorial Christmas ornament
Christmas without your pet can be incredibly difficult. But, by having your pet’s ashes added to a Christmas tree ornament, they can stay a part of your Christmas traditions every year.
A glass Christmas tree ornament allows you to create a new tradition in your home that will keep your pet’s memory alive.
Choose a glass in the colour of their collar or fur to create something exceptional that your whole family will cherish.
Bury the ashes in your garden
Perhaps the simplest way to memorialise your pet is with a back garden burial. You can mark the spot with an engraved stone so you’ll always have a place you can sit and remember your cat or dog.
Burying the ashes might feel very permanent, but by placing a memorial stone at the site, you can always move the stone if you move house in the future.
You could also plant roses or other plants around the ashes to create a small memorial garden. For cats, consider planting catnip to create a space that other cats can enjoy.
Create a tree memorial
Planting the ashes with a tree is not only a great way to remember your beloved pet, but it’s also good for the environment. A memorial tree will last for generations to come, offering shade to future pets that grace your back garden.
Oak trees are one of the most popular memorial trees as they are known for growing big and lasting for centuries. However, you might not want to plant an oak tree too close to your house!
Instead, opt for something picturesque and delicate like a cherry blossom tree or something fast-growing like a hazel tree.
Create a memorial token
A memorial token is a small keepsake typically made from gold or silver. It is usually the size of a large coin and includes a secret inner chamber to house some of your cat’s or dog’s ashes or hair.
On the outside of the token, you can choose the engraving that will help you remember your pets. This could include their names, date of birth, the day you brought them home, or favourite phrases.
A memorial token is an excellent gift for a child as they can keep their pet close without having to save an entire urn. You could scatter the rest of your dog’s ashes on their favourite walking route and save a small amount of the ashes for the memorial token.
Keep the memorial token in your pet’s memory box to keep it safe.
Turn their ashes into a diamond
It’s now possible to mimic the conditions required to create a diamond, and you can also create a diamond from your pet’s ashes. However, this process is very expensive and the diamond won’t be worth as much as it cost to create it.
A better alternative is to place the ashes in a secret compartment hidden within a piece of diamond jewellery. This will ensure the piece retains its value and can be passed down to the next generation.
Our Secrets collection features a range of diamond jewellery with secret compartments to hold a small amount of your pet’s ashes.
Keep their ashes in an urn
Sometimes the simplest option is the easiest. You don’t have to make a decision right away, so you could keep your pet’s ashes in an urn until you are ready to make a decision.
Choose a decorative urn and place your pet’s ashes in a central spot in your home to keep their memory close. You may decide you want to scatter their ashes at a later date, or you may choose to turn them into decorative artwork. There is no rush to make a decision, and we encourage pet owners to take their time when choosing a memorial piece.