Choosing the right size urn for your pet is incredibly important. You do not want to end up with extra ashes that won’t fit into the urn. The good news is that you can figure out easily the size urn you need for your pet’s remains.
Ask the Crematorium
The crematorium workers are experts at calculating the size urn you need. In some cases, you can ask to have just as much as you need for the size urn you have, especially when you do a group cremation.
Communal cremation – your pet is cremated with other pets and then the ashes are divided among owners.
Single cremation – your pet is cremated by him or herself and the ashes are only of your pet.
Why the Crematorium Workers Are the Best Estimators
There are many variables that go into the amount of ashes you will receive. These variables include:
- Skeletal size
- The length of time the ashes are in the chamber
- Type of cremation
- Processing of the ashes
Estimating It Yourself
If you are unable to ask the crematorium for some reason, the standard size is 1 cubic inch for every one pound of weight.
While this may make you jump at choosing the size urn you think you need, please understand that this is a rough estimate. Many people have done this and ended up receiving a lot more ashes than they expected because of the crematorium’s process.
Ordering an Urn with an Estimate
It’s better to purchase an urn that is larger than you need rather than smaller. That way all of the urns you receive can fit inside. If there’s extra space inside of the urn, that will not be a problem for you. This is why we always recommend that our customers purchase the next size up when they do not have the estimation from the crematorium.
Other Ideas for the Ashes
Many people intentionally order a smaller urn than they need because they only want to keep some of their pet’s remains. The rest of the ashes will be used in some other way. For example, many pet owners will spread the ashes in a pet’s favorite spot outside or spread them in the ocean if he or she loved to swim. This is such a special thing to do for you and your pet, so consider this if you do end up with a smaller urn than you expected.
As mentioned above, you can also request only a certain amount of the ashes and the crematorium will dispose of the rest of them. The idea of having your pet’s ashes in an urn is that you are keeping a part of him or her near you at all times. If you have a smaller amount of the ashes, that is okay. You still have your beloved pet with you.
It would be a pleasure to help you find the perfect urn for your pet. Please contact us with any questions or concerns you may have at this time.