These tallies update as people vote. Below them, we set the answers beside published research, such as the 67%[1] of recent UK pet deaths that ended in cremation.
The method
Each poll counts one anonymous vote per person, tracked by browser rather than by name. The percentages on the board below are live, so they move as more people answer. Early on, when only a few people have voted, one or two votes can swing a result a long way.
These are reader opinions, not a scientific survey. People who find a pet funeral guide are more likely than average to be planning a ceremony, so answers like "a small gathering" may be higher here than across all pet owners. If you haven't voted yet, the polls page has every question.
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Context
Our format and budget polls sit on top of a bigger question: burial or cremation. Published surveys give a useful baseline. In a large published survey of US dog and cat owners, most said they'd choose flame cremation or home burial next time, while about one in ten preferred a pet cemetery.
40.4% cremation; 34.9% home burial; 1.9% aquamation[2]
The UK looks different. A survey for the UK's Competition and Markets Authority found 67%[1] of owners whose pet died recently chose cremation, with home burial common and pet cemetery burial rare. If our readers lean toward a graveside service more than these figures, that's a sign of who reads this site, not a change in the country.
Children and grief
If answers to the children question spread across every option, that would match the research. Parents report real uncertainty: 93.4%[3] in the RSPCA's pet-loss survey wanted better guidance. If you see the vote split, take it as permission to choose what fits your child, not as a verdict.
The rituals poll shows what people reach for when words run out. Grief after a pet is often hidden: 57.1%[4] of bereaved owners in the same survey felt they had to hide it. Small shared acts, like a candle or a letter, are one way a household makes the loss visible. Our guide to how ceremonies relate to grief explores this without promising outcomes.
Should young children be part of a pet's goodbye?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Another view
Japan offers a useful contrast for our faith and format polls. Formal pet funerals there are common, and many owners want an individual service: in one Japanese internet survey, well over half preferred an individual pet funeral and only about one in ten a joint one.
~85%[5]
If our readers' answers on faith and ceremony look modest by comparison, that reflects different customs rather than different love for pets. Borrow what speaks to you. The farewell planner lets you add a blessing, reading or chant of your choosing.
Money and timing
Our budget poll asks what people would spend on the farewell itself, beyond cremation or burial. It helps to know what the underlying care costs first. In the US, private dog cremation averages about $260[6] and pet cemetery burial about $831[7]. At the very top end, a full burial at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery costs about USD 7,000[8].
So a reader who picks "under $100" for the farewell isn't being stingy. A candle, some flowers and printed photos genuinely cost that little, and the body care is where most of the money goes. A reader who picks "more, if it felt right" may be thinking of a headstone, a viewing room or a catered celebration of life.
The timing poll has no published benchmark that we know of, which is exactly why we ask it. Some families hold a goodbye while their pet is still alive, some on the day, and some wait until the ashes come home. Our article on timing a ceremony around cremation explains how each option works in practice.
Using the results
When you're ready to put a plan together, the memorial budget planner helps with cost, and our services page explains each kind of farewell.
What would you spend on a farewell, beyond cremation or burial?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Reader polls
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
What kind of goodbye feels right for your pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
When would you hold the farewell?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Do you keep more than one memorial for the same pet?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Instantly. Every vote is added to the tally as soon as it's cast, so the percentages you see are always the current totals. Refresh the page to see the latest numbers.
Treat them as a snapshot of this site's readers, not as facts about all pet owners. For population figures, we cite published research such as national cost studies and regulator surveys, with sources shown in footnotes.
Newer questions haven't had time to collect many answers. With small numbers, one vote can move a result a lot, so give low-vote polls less weight until more readers have answered.
No. Votes are anonymous totals, and we don't sell or pass them on. We use them to understand what readers want to know about planning a farewell, so we can write more useful guides.
Because each tells you something the other can't. Published studies show what large numbers of owners actually did, measured carefully. Our polls show what people planning a farewell are thinking about right now. Seeing both side by side helps you judge whether a choice is common, rare or simply personal.
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.
