Should You Cremate or Bury Your Pet?

Updated November 3, 2026

Choose private cremation if you want your pet's ashes back or might move, and choose burial if you own your land, can dig deep enough and want a place to visit. Most families choose cremation: the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that about 80% do. There's no wrong answer, and your vet can hold your pet in cold storage while you decide.

Your options, side by side

• Private cremation: your pet is cremated alone and the ashes come back to you, usually in a simple container or an urn you choose.
• Group (communal) cremation: several pets are cremated together and the ashes are not returned. It costs less. The AVMA says families split roughly evenly between private and group cremation.
• Aquamation: also called water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis. The AVMA describes it as an eco-friendly alternative to flame cremation that uses flowing water and alkalinity. You get the remains back much like ashes. It isn't offered everywhere.
• Burial at home: free apart from your time and any casket or marker, but it comes with rules and practical limits. See Can you bury a pet in your backyard in Wisconsin?
• Pet cemetery: a permanent, cared-for place to visit, at a cost. Ask what happens to the plot long term.

Questions that help you decide

• Was your pet euthanized? The drug used stays in the body and can poison wildlife or other pets that dig up the remains. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service calls cremation the preferred choice, and says a burial needs at least 3 to 4 feet of soil on top.
• Do you own your home and plan to stay? A backyard grave stays with the house. Ashes can move with you.
• What time of year is it? Frozen ground makes winter burial hard in Wisconsin. Cremation, or burying the ashes in spring, avoids that.
• Do you want to keep them close? Ashes can go in an urn at home, be shared among family, be scattered somewhere your pet loved, or be buried later.
• What can you spend? Group cremation and home burial cost the least. Ask your vet or the crematory for prices before you decide.

If you choose cremation, ask these questions

• Is my pet cremated alone, or with partitions between pets? Those aren't the same thing.
• How do you track my pet through the process?
• Can I see my pet, or be present, before or during the cremation?
• How long will it take, and how will I get the ashes back?

The AVMA suggests choosing a provider with a tracking protocol that takes full responsibility if anything goes wrong. It also notes that some families want to view or be with their pet before and during cremation, and a good provider allows it.

Choosing an urn or keepsake

The common rule of thumb for urns is one cubic inch of space for each pound your pet weighed, rounded up. A 40-pound dog needs an urn of at least 40 cubic inches. Check the capacity listed in cubic inches, not the height in the photo. Our urn sizing guide explains more, including keepsake urns for sharing ashes.

Many families also keep a paw print, a clipping of fur or the collar. Ask for a paw print or fur clipping before the cremation, because it can't be made afterward.

Ways to remember your pet, whichever you choose

• A garden marker or stone over a grave, or in a favorite spot in the yard if you keep the ashes.
• A plant or tree. Some families plant one where they buried their pet or the ashes. Remember to contact 811 before digging.
• Keepsake jewelry or a small keepsake urn that holds a little of the ashes, so more than one person can keep some.
• A photo book or framed paw print, which can be especially comforting for children.
• A gift in their name to a local shelter or rescue.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to buy the urn from my vet or the crematory?

No. You can choose any urn or keepsake you like. The ashes come back in a temporary container, so there's no rush to decide.

Can I bury my pet's ashes in the yard?

Many families do. Burying ashes avoids the depth and wildlife concerns of a full burial, but you still need to contact Diggers Hotline (811) before you dig in Wisconsin.

Is aquamation available in Wisconsin?

Ask your vet or search for pet aquamation providers near you. Availability varies by area.

This article is general information, not veterinary or legal advice. Last checked November 3, 2026.

Sources: AVMA: A veterinarian's role in pet after-death care; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Secondary pentobarbital poisoning of wildlife; Feline Veterinary Medical Association: Final arrangements; Diggers Hotline: Homeowner FAQ.