How much does pet cremation cost? From birds to large dogs

The passing of a pet is never easy, and for many pet parents, cremation is an important part of the closure process. Here's how much pet cremation might cost you by species, animal size, and cremation method.

Jun 14, 2024 - 22:30

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How much does pet cremation cost? From birds to large dogs

Death is a lucrative industry — traditional end-of-life costs like a casket, a burial, and a headstone in a graveyard can cost between $10,000 and $100,000. But that’s for humans — what about our furry (or winged or scaled) family members?

Younger generations are increasingly opting for pets over children — no doubt in part due to the financial burden that comes with procreation during an era of increasing costs of living — but it’s important to remember that pets (some more than others) come with a host of expenses of their own, including end-of-life costs.

Most folks aren’t willing to shell out too much for the passing of a pet, and some handle it themselves with a simple backyard burial (which is illegal in certain localities, while others have fairly specific rules surrounding the practice). But for those who prefer to go the cremation route, how much does it cost?

As it turns out, this depends on several factors — namely, the pet owner’s preferred method of cremation, the species, and the weight of the animal. Here’s a look at the three types of pet cremation and what they can cost.

What are the different types of pet cremation?

Pet cremations fall generally into one of three categories:

Communal: Simultaneous cremation of multiple pets in one chamber without partitions
Individual/partitioned: Simultaneous cremation of multiple pets in one chamber with partitions between each animal’s remains
Private: Cremation of a single pet alone in a chamber

These three methods go up in price in the above order (communal to private). Here’s how each type works and what it might cost based on your pet’s species or weight:

Note: The prices listed in the sections below are for pets ranging from very small (e.g., parakeets, mice, and rats) to large dog-sized. Cremation services for larger pets like ponies vary considerably. See the FAQ at the end of this article for additional information.

Communal pet cremation ($35–$200)

With communal pet cremation, multiple animals are incinerated in a single chamber at one time. Because communal cremation is the most time, space, and energy-efficient type of pet cremation, it is also the cheapest.

In some cases, pet parents can choose to receive some of the resultant ashes from the process, but these ashes will technically be a mix of multiple animals’ remains. In other cases, communal cremains are automatically disposed of and are not returned.

Fast fact: While individual dogs and cats are as unique as snowflakes or thumbprints while alive, once cremated, their “ashes” are all more or less calcium phosphate (burned crushed bones) with an array of other trace elements and minerals, meaning that once the process is complete, the cremated remains of any two pets are usually virtually indistinguishable.

For practical and cost-conscious pet parents who see the keeping or scattering of their departed companion’s ashes as a symbolic form of closure and remembrance rather than a literal piece of their pet, this is the most cost-effective interment route after a home burial. This is also the cheapest method for those who don’t need their pet’s ashes returned to them.

Prices for communal cremation services can vary quite a bit depending on where they are conducted, so the best way to determine your likely cost is to call several local providers, which may include large chain pet stores like Petsmart and Petco, veterinarian offices, Humane Society chapters, and local pet crematoriums and cemeteries.

Here are a few examples of how much communal pet cremation can cost:

Flat-fee communal pet cremation cost (Oregon Humane Society)

The Oregon Humane Society, for instance, charges a flat fee of $100 for communal cremation, regardless of pet species or size. This fee does not include euthanasia (if applicable), and ashes are not returned to pet owners

Communal pet cremation costs by weight

In some cases, clients are charged by their pet’s weight. Here’s how much communal pet cremation (for dogs, cats, and common small pets) is estimated to cost by weight according to Care Credit, a company that offers a consumer credit card for medical expenses:

0 to 30 pounds: $45 to $75
31 to 50 pounds: $50 to $80
51 to 70 pounds: $50 to $100
71 to 90 pounds: $100 to $150
Over 90 pounds: $150 to $200

It's important to note that the above prices don’t come from an individual source — they are estimates by Care Credit, and actual prices vary both geographically and based on the type of facility in question (e.g., veterinary office, pet store chain, pet cemetery, etc.)

Communal cremation costs by species (Animal Humane Society MN)

Here’s how much communal cremation costs at a Minnesota Animal Shelter called the Animal Humane Society that charges by species rather than weight:

Dogs and cats: $35 (plus $90 euthanasia fee, if applicable)
Rabbits: $35 (plus $70 euthanasia fee, if applicable)
Guinea pigs, rodents, and birds: $25 (plus $40 euthanasia fee, if applicable)
Chinchillas, ferrets, and hedgehogs: $25 (plus $50 euthanasia fee, if applicable)

Individual/partitioned pet cremation ($110–$145)

Individual or partitioned per cremation is sort of a happy medium between communal and private cremation. Multiple animals are still incinerated in a single chamber simultaneously, but partitions in the chamber ensure that each animal’s ashes remain somewhat separate.

That being said, some mixing is bound to occur, but as mentioned above, cremated remains are fairly homogenous, so for those who want most of their pet’s ashes (and don’t mind a light dusting of some of their new friends’ ashes mixed in), partitioned pet cremation can be a great option.

Unfortunately, this form of pet cremation is somewhat rare — many facilities only offer communal or totally private cremation, so you’ll need to consult with your local providers to see what’s available.

Here's how much partitioned cremation might cost:

Individual/partitioned pet cremation costs by weight

According to The Wildest, here’s how individual (partitioned) pet cremation tends to be priced according to weight:

0 to 30 pounds: $110
31 to 60 pounds: $125
61 to 90 pounds: $135
Over 91 pounds: $145

Again, the prices above don’t come from an individual source — they are estimates by The Wildest, and actual prices vary between locations and facility types.

Private pet cremation ($100–$450)

Private pet cremation is the most expensive option, but it’s the only option that guarantees that your pet will be incinerated alone and its ashes will be returned to its owner without any contamination (assuming the chamber is properly cleaned between cremations).

For some pet owners, keeping a physical relic of their pet — and only their pet — is an important part of the grieving process, and private cremation is the best choice in this scenario.

Here are a few examples of how much private pet cremation might cost depending on the facility and its pricing scheme.

Flat-fee private pet cremation cost (Oregon Humane Society)

The Oregon Humane Society charges a flat fee of $300 for private cremation, regardless of a pet’s species or weight (up to the size of a large dog). This fee includes the customer’s choice of one of seven different urns.

Private pet cremation costs by weight

At many facilities, private pet cremations vary in cost based on the animal’s size. Here’s how much communal pet cremation (for dogs, cats, and common small pets) is estimated to cost by weight according to Care Credit:

0 to 30 pounds: $100 to $175
31 to 50 pounds: $150 to $250
51 to 70 pounds: $200 to $300
71 to 90 pounds: $250 to $375
Over 90 pounds: $350 to $450

Here’s a different list of private pet cremation cost estimates by weight from The Wildest:

0 to 30 pounds: $175
31 to 60 pounds: $200
61 to 90 pounds: $225
Over 91 pounds: $250

Private pet cremation costs by species (Animal Humane Society MN)

The Animal Humane Society in Minnesota charges a flat fee for private cremation services, but total costs vary by species if customers also require euthanasia. Here’s a breakdown:

Dogs and cats: $120 (plus $90 euthanasia fee, if applicable)
Rabbits: $120 (plus $70 euthanasia fee, if applicable)
Guinea pigs, rodents, and birds: $120 (plus $40 euthanasia fee, if applicable)
Chinchillas, ferrets, and hedgehogs: $120 (plus $50 euthanasia fee, if applicable)

More consumer finance:

Pet cremation FAQs

Here are answers to some of the most common questions consumers have about pet cremation.

Does pet insurance usually cover cremation?

Every pet insurance plan is different, but most policies that cover both accidents and illness cover veterinarian-recommended euthanasia.

Most of these plans do not automatically cover other end-of-life costs like cremation, but some insurers, like Spot, do cover cremation, so long as the animal’s death was the result of a covered incident or condition.

Other insurers, like Lemonade, allow customers to purchase add-on coverage for post-euthanasia expenses like cremation, burial, and memorial items.

You can check with your provider to see what parts of the death process your pet’s current insurance policy covers. They may offer add-on coverage for these sorts of expenses if you feel you are underinsured.

How much does it cost to cremate larger pets like horses?

Facilities that offer cremation services for very large animals like horses, ponies, llamas, and alpacas are somewhat hard to come by, so their prices can vary quite a bit depending on where you live.
Furrever Friends, a Long Beach, CA-based provider of end-of-life services for pets, typically charges between $1,200 and $2,000 to cremate a horse, for instance.

Dignified Pet Services, a Portland, OR-based company, charges significantly more, and prices vary based on the horse’s size:

Miniature: $2,500
Standard: $4,000
Draft/Large: $4,600

Virginia-based In Memorium Pet Services is cheaper, and their cremation services include transportation:

250–500 lbs (large dogs–goats): $720
500–800 lbs (goats–ponies): $975
800–1,300 lbs (standard horses): $1,320
1,300–1,600 lbs (large horses): $1,555

Can you cremate your own pet?

At-home pet cremation is possible for those who have adequate space and possess the necessary materials, but the process is time-consuming, cumbersome, and disturbing for some, as the bone remnants need to be crushed manually once the burning process is complete.

How long does pet cremation take?

Professional pet cremation services are performed in chambers that reach between 1,400 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and typically take between 45 minutes and three hours, depending on the size of the animal.