Pet Ashes with Human Ashes: Options, Rules and Burial

Keeping a pet's ashes with a person's at home is up to you, and a companion urn is the usual way to do it. Burying them together in a cemetery is different: it depends on that cemetery's rules and on state law. New York and Florida both allow it in some cases, but a cemetery does not have to agree, and many say no.

Can pet ashes be buried with a person?

It depends on the cemetery first and the state second. There is no national rule. Cemeteries write their own rules, and some accept only human remains. In New York, cemeteries run by a religious corporation are exempt from the state's pet-remains provision.

Two states show how the laws work:

• New York. A cemetery corporation may let a lot owner inter a pet's cremated remains, but only when the burial is incidental to the burial of a person, and only with written authorization from the cemetery. The remains go in a grave, crypt or niche. The state says the cemetery needs one written authorization for the right to inter pet remains and another when the interment happens. Cemeteries run by a religious corporation are exempt, and any cemetery can decline to offer it. The pet's ashes stay in their own sealed urn and are not commingled with human remains.
• Florida. Section 497.273 says the cemetery chapter does not prohibit interring a decedent's pet's cremated remains with the person's remains or ashes, if they are not commingled and a legally authorized person (for example, the person with the right to control the disposition of the remains) approves.

Other states may allow it, forbid it or say nothing. Treat the cemetery's written rules as the answer that counts, and ask whether your state has a law on it. A funeral home or a lawyer can help if the answer is unclear.

Can human ashes go in a pet cemetery?

Sometimes. Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in New York lists human interment of cremated remains as a service. It says New York State sanctioned burying human cremated remains at pet cemeteries, and that it accepts cremated remains only, not full-body burials. Other pet cemeteries have their own policies.

If you like this idea, ask the pet cemetery what it accepts, how it marks the plot, and what happens to your arrangement if the cemetery changes ownership. Our guide to pet cemetery burial explains how these cemeteries work.

What are your options for keeping ashes together?

You do not have to mix anything. The most common choices are:

1. A companion urn. One vessel with two compartments, or two inner bags, so both sets of remains sit side by side and stay separate. Check the capacity of each compartment.
2. Two urns kept together. A person's urn and a pet's urn on the same shelf, or placed together in a niche or plot.
3. Keepsakes from each. A small portion of each set of ashes in cremation jewelry, or in a memorial diamond.
4. A tree or garden memorial. Some tree urns are made to be planted with ashes, and you can add a person's later. See our memorial trees guide, and check the planting rules first.
5. Scattering together in a place that allows it. See scatter ashes anywhere and our scattering ashes guide.

Should you mix the ashes?

You can keep them separate, which is what New York and Florida require for a cemetery burial. Mixing them is permanent. Once ashes are combined, you cannot separate them, and a cemetery may not accept a mixed container. If you want a shared scattering or a single urn, mix them at the point you are ready, not before. Our guide on mixing ashes of two people covers the practical side, and keeping ashes at home covers storage.

How big a companion urn do you need?

A person's cremated remains weigh on average four to six pounds, according to the Cremation Association of North America. A pet's remains are a fraction of that, and depend on the pet's size. Ask the crematory for the weight or volume it returned, then compare it with the urn's listed capacity. Many urn sellers give a rule of thumb based on body weight, but sizing is not standardized, so rely on the listed capacity. Choose a little extra room, since ashes usually arrive in a plastic bag. See pet urn options and companion urns.

Can you travel with ashes together?

Yes, in the US. TSA allows cremated remains in carry-on or checked bags, but the container must be something X-ray can see through, such as wood or plastic, and officers will not open it. Some airlines do not allow cremated remains in checked bags, so check yours. See flying with ashes.

How do you write this into your plans?

A wish in a will does not override a cemetery's deed or rules. If the cemetery says "human remains only," your executor cannot change that. Plan in this order:

1. Ask the cemetery what it allows for pet ashes, and get the answer in writing.
2. Tell your funeral home and a family member you trust.
3. Write your wishes down, including what happens to the pet's ashes if you die first.
4. If you have not bought a plot, look for a cemetery that allows it.

What to do next

1. Ask the cemetery or funeral home what they allow, and get it in writing.
2. Decide whether you want one urn or two, and check the capacity.
3. Keep the pet's ashes in a sealed container until the arrangements are final.
4. Record your wishes, and tell the people who will carry them out.