Before you start
You don't need much. Have the urn ready with its lid or base plate already loosened so you're not fighting it mid-way, a clean flat surface with a little room around it, and a sheet of paper laid underneath for peace of mind. Only if you plan to open the bag and pour do you need scissors and a small spoon or a folded piece of paper as a funnel. And a few quiet minutes, with no one rushing you.
If you'd like to know more about what you're actually receiving before you open anything, what happens during pet cremation walks through it gently.
The easy way — the sealed bag goes in whole
Nothing is poured, nothing is touched. This is what we'd suggest for most people.
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1Open the urn. Most of our urns open at the top (a lid) or the bottom (a threaded base plate or a wooden panel). Check the product page or the small card in the box if you're not sure which. Set the lid or plate somewhere it won't roll away.
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2Take the bag out of the temporary container. Crematories usually send ashes home in a sealed bag inside a plain box or tin. Lift the bag out gently.
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3Lower the bag into the urn. Place it in rather than dropping it. If the bag is a little loose at the top, twist and tuck the excess down the side so the lid closes cleanly.
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4Close the urn. Seat the lid or base plate back the way it came off. That's the whole thing.
Every full-size urn we make is sized to hold the sealed bag, not just loose ashes, so it should close without forcing. If the bag genuinely won't fit, skip to what to do if the ashes don't fit below.
If you'd rather pour the ashes in
Some people prefer the ashes to sit directly in the urn, or the crematory used a bag that's too bulky. Done slowly and low, it's completely manageable.
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1Work over your paper-lined surface, somewhere without a draft — an open window or a fan is the only thing that really causes a mess.
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2Snip a small corner of the bag, not the whole top. A small opening gives you control.
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3Hold the opening low, just inside the mouth of the urn, and let the ashes slide in gradually. Keep the bag close to the urn the whole time so nothing has far to fall.
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4Tap and pause. Gently tap the bag to move the last of it down, and give it a moment to settle rather than shaking hard.
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5Fold the empty bag into the urn if there's room, or set it aside, then close the lid. If any ashes end up on the paper, tip the paper into a gentle crease and slide them in. Nothing is wasted.
The part people find hardest
It isn't the mechanics — it's the moment before you start. Many people keep the box from the crematory closed for weeks or months, and that's alright. There's no deadline. When you're ready, doing it in a quiet room, unhurried, and perhaps with someone beside you, is what most people say made it feel like a small act of care rather than a chore. Some light a candle or say a few words. There's no right way, only the way that feels right to you.
What if the ashes don't fit?
It happens more often than people expect, usually because the urn was sized just to the ashes without allowing for the sealed bag. You have two easy options: move the ashes into a slightly larger urn, or keep most of them in the main urn and move the remainder into a keepsake urn — many families do this on purpose, so more than one person has something to hold onto. Our urn size guide shows the capacity you need by weight if you're choosing a replacement.
Do you need to seal it?
For an urn that stays at home on a shelf, no — a closed lid is enough, and leaving it unsealed means you can open it again if you ever want to move a small portion into a keepsake or a piece of jewelry. You'd only add a permanent seal if the urn is going to be buried or travels often, and it's worth being certain before you do, because sealing is hard to undo. If you're weighing up materials and how well they keep moisture out, is ceramic safe for pet ashes covers it.
Urns families transfer into
All of these open easily and are sized to hold the sealed bag with room to spare. Each is made to order from your pet's photo, with their name and dates.
Browse everything in the pet cremation urn collection.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pour the ashes in, or does the bag go inside the urn?
The bag goes inside. Crematories return ashes in a sealed bag, and it's placed into the urn as it is. There's no need to pour loose ashes, and most people find it much easier not to.
Is it safe to handle my pet's ashes?
Yes. Ashes are sterile — cremation happens at very high temperatures — so there's nothing hazardous about them. You don't need gloves or a mask.
How much of the ashes should go in the urn?
All of them, if it's a full-size urn. If you're keeping only a portion — sharing the rest with family or scattering it — a keepsake urn holds a small amount and the main urn holds the rest.
What if the ashes don't fit?
Usually it means the urn was sized to the ashes without room for the sealed bag. Move them to a slightly larger urn, or keep most in the main urn and the remainder in a keepsake. Our size guide shows the capacity you need by weight.
Do I have to seal the urn after transferring the ashes?
Not for an urn kept at home. A closed lid is enough, and leaving it unsealed means you can reopen it later. A permanent seal is only worth adding if the urn will be buried or travels often.
Can I do this myself, or should someone do it for me?
Either is fine. Many people find doing it themselves, slowly and quietly, becomes a small and meaningful moment. If you'd rather someone else did it, that's just as valid — ask a family member, or your vet or crematory can often help.
When you're ready, we've made the urn part easy
Personalized ceramic and wooden pet urns, each sized to hold the sealed bag with room to spare — with a free preview before anything is made.
Browse pet cremation urns
