Plan the full cost of preserving your pet, not just the studio fee
A freeze-dry quote of USD 1,000–2,000[1] is rarely the whole bill. Shipping, a case, vet costs and any cremation add up, and this planner keeps them in one running total.
- Editable low and high amounts for every item
- Spare lines for shipping and display
- A copyable summary to share with family
Memorial budget planner
Tick what you're planning and adjust any amount to match the quotes you get. The total updates as you go.
Total budget
$226–$623
2 items included
Source: CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study); Memorials.com – Pet Urn Cost Guide; Memorials.com – Pet ashes necklaces; The Comfort Company – Pet memorial stones; The Living Urn – Pet tree urn; Our estimate; other items use typical ranges
Next step: Get exact prices near you →
Why a whole-budget view
Why the studio's price isn't the final number
Preservation quotes usually cover the work itself. What they often leave out: the vet visit at the end, shipping your frozen pet to the studio and back, a glass dome or case, and, if you're preserving only a paw or tail, the cremation of the rest of your pet. None of those is huge alone, but together they can add hundreds of dollars.
The planner has ten fixed lines, from euthanasia and pickup to cremation, an urn and keepsakes, each with an editable low and high figure, and keeps a running total range. There's no preservation, shipping or display-case line, and you can't add one, so you type those costs into lines you aren't using. It works entirely in your browser and doesn't ask for any personal details. For the preservation line itself, start with the preservation cost estimator, then type its range into a spare line here, such as Farewell or service.
There's also timing to think about. Preservation is often paid in two parts, a deposit when you commission the work and the balance months later, while the vet and any cremation are paid straight away. Seeing everything together helps you plan when the money actually leaves your account, not just how much.
Step by step
How to fill in the planner for a preservation
- Tick the items that apply. Untick anything you won't need, such as cremation if you're preserving your whole pet.
- Replace defaults with quotes as they arrive. The defaults are national or typical ranges, not prices from anyone near you.
- Put the preservation cost in the Farewell or service line, using the low and high figures from the cost estimator or a practitioner's written quote.
- Put shipping both ways in the Pickup or transport line if your practitioner is out of driving range, and a display case in the Memorial stone or plaque line.
- Copy or print the summary to share with anyone splitting the cost.
If you're comparing two routes, such as a full freeze-dried pet against a preserved paw plus cremation, run the planner twice and set the totals side by side. The difference is often bigger than people expect, in both directions.
Where the numbers come from
The default amounts, and their sources
Default amounts come from published figures wherever they exist. In the US, an in-clinic euthanasia for a dog averages $139[2] and a home visit about $410[3]; the ASPCA's end-of-life care guide explains what happens during euthanasia. By our estimate, a typical US dog end-of-life bill comes to about $670 with an at-home euthanasia and private cremation, or about $399 with a clinic visit[4]. The average pet cremation costs about USD 250[5], and private dog cremation averages $260[6]. One industry report puts personalized pet urns at USD 50–1,000+[7]. Cremation prices aren't fixed either: in the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority found owners may be paying in the order of £100 more than they should for individual cremations[8], so a second quote is worth getting.
Other lines, such as pickup, the urn and keepsakes, have no reliable published average, so the planner shows a typical range and labels it as such. Display cases, frozen shipping and preservation itself have no line or default at all, so enter your quotes in the spare lines. Your own quotes always beat our defaults.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
An example
Worked example: a 25 lb beagle, two ways
Imagine a 25 lb beagle. Using one studio's published list for pets over 20 lb ($2,781 plus $69 per pound[9]), full freeze-drying works out at roughly $3,100 to $4,500 depending on whether the per-pound charge covers every pound or only those above 20. That's our estimate from the published list, not a quote. The same arithmetic puts a 50 lb dog at about $4,851[10].
| Item | Full freeze-dry | Preserved paw plus private cremation |
|---|---|---|
| In-clinic euthanasia | About $110 to $253[2] | About $110 to $253 |
| Preservation work | About $3,100 to $4,500 | Quoted per practitioner, a fraction of full-body |
| Frozen shipping, both ways | Typical range, ask the studio | Often not needed if local |
| Private cremation of the body | Not needed | About $206 to $473[6] |
| Display dome or case | Typical range, ask the studio | Small shadow box or dome |
The paw-plus-cremation route also returns your beagle's ashes, which some families want as well as a keepsake. The hybrid cast plus cremation guide explains how to coordinate the handover so the paw and the ashes both come back to you.
What your total means
Reading your total, and deciding what fits
The low end of your total assumes a local practitioner, a sleeping pose and no extras. The high end assumes shipping, a case and a busier studio. Plan for the middle, and keep a little aside: quotes can change once a practitioner sees your pet's size and condition.
If the total is out of reach, that's not failure. A paw cast, a lock of fur in a frame or a preserved feather can mean as much as a full piece. Our article on paw casts, fur and lighter keepsakes has ideas at every budget, and the services page compares every route. The poll results show what other readers expect to spend.
If you kept only part of your pet, what would it be?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Limits and next steps
What the planner can't do, and what to do next
The planner can't tell you whether your pet is still suitable for preservation or how good a practitioner is. It also can't see local prices, deposits or rush fees. Check our suitability guidance and the questions to ask before you commission.
When your total feels right, send us your pet's details and budget. We'll email back practitioners whose published prices fit, so you can compare real quotes against your plan. Our locations pages explain how studios and shipping work where you live.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
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.
If you kept only part of your pet, what would it be?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How much would you spend on a memorial item, beyond the cremation itself?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
What surprised you most about the cost of pet aftercare?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
Questions people ask
What costs do people forget when preserving a pet?
Shipping is the most common one: sending a frozen pet overnight in a cooler with dry ice, then having the finished piece shipped back. Others are a display case or dome, the vet's fee at the end, and cremation of the rest of your pet if you're preserving only a paw or tail. Deposits are also often due upfront.
Do I have to pay the full preservation price upfront?
Many practitioners ask for a deposit when you commission the work and the balance before the finished piece is returned, but terms vary. Ask for the deposit amount, when the balance is due and what happens to your deposit if your pet turns out to be unsuitable once thawed. Get it in writing.
Can I split the cost with family using the planner?
Yes. Fill in the items, then copy or print the summary and share it. Seeing every line helps family members agree on what's included, such as whether to add a display case, before anyone commits. Some families share the preservation cost and let one person pay for a separate keepsake.
Is preserving just a paw a cheaper option overall?
Usually, yes. A partial piece costs far less than full-body work, though you'll add a cremation for the rest of your pet. Private cremation, where your pet is cremated alone and the ashes returned, costs more than communal. Run both routes in the planner to compare totals.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] Freeze-drying a pet typically costs USD 1,000–2,000. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
- [2] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for in-clinic dog euthanasia at $139 (range $110-$253). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [3] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for at-home dog euthanasia at $410 (range $325-$747). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [4] A typical US dog end-of-life bill is about $670 with at-home euthanasia plus private cremation, versus about $399 with clinic euthanasia plus private cremation. Our estimate: 410 + 260 = 670; 139 + 260 = 399. How we calculate.
- [5] The average pet cremation cost about USD 250 (Foresight Companies, 2020). The Foresight Companies — Industry Spotlight: The Pet Business (2020), 2020.
- [6] CareCredit's 2025 cost study put the US national average for private dog cremation at $260 (range $206-$473). CareCredit (Synchrony) - How Much Does It Cost To Euthanize a Dog? (2025 ASQ360 procedural cost study), 2025.
- [7] Personalized pet urns range from about USD 50 to more than USD 1,000. Astute Analytica via GlobeNewswire — Global Pet Preservation Services Market to Hit USD 112.7 Million by 2032 (Apr 2, 2024), 2024.
- [8] The CMA concluded UK pet owners may be paying in the order of GBP 100 more for individual cremations than under strong price competition. UK Competition and Markets Authority - Summary of final report, veterinary services market investigation (24 Mar 2026), 2026.
- [9] An Ohio pet preservation studio prices freeze-drying for pets over 20 lb at $2,781 plus $69 per pound, and 6–19 lb pets at $2,095 plus $49 per pound. Animal Family Pet Preservation – Pricing, 2026.
- [10] On a per-pound-above-threshold reading of its price list, one Ohio studio would charge about $4,851 to freeze-dry a 50 lb dog. Our estimate: $2,781 + $69 × (50 − 20) lb. How we calculate.
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