A paw print to keep, in Arlington
Arlington has an estimated 87,500 dog- or cat-owning households. If yours is one of them, a print taken now, or before cremation, is the keepsake you can't go back for.
- Nose prints and fur clippings too
- Keep a scan so the original stays home
- Options that serve Arlington
Arlington, Virginia
Home, clinic or crematory: paw prints in Arlington
The Potomac shoreline, the trails along Four Mile Run and the river, and Arlington's many small parks are where plenty of residents spent time with their pets. Some want a memorial that reflects that outdoor life, like a biodegradable urn and a tree planted in a garden or a relative's yard. Rules on scattering in parks vary, so check with the landowner or park authority before planning anything there.
Arlington families are often spread across several states, which makes sharing ashes a common wish. Small keepsake urns or jewelry let parents, grown children and grandparents each keep something. There's no rush to decide. Bring the ashes home in a simple container, talk as a family about what each person would like, and choose lasting pieces once the first weeks have passed.
Some crematories and keepsake makers serving Arlington are based a drive away, around Washington or along main roads out of town. That's normal, and it doesn't stop you getting a print. Clay prints travel perfectly well once they're dry, and most engravers, jewelers and artists work from a clear photo or scan, so the original never needs to leave your home.
Arlington is home to about 238,000 people, the 3rd-largest of the 32 Virginia communities we cover. Washington, roughly 4 miles off, is the closest larger centre, and a share of the providers who cover Arlington run from there.
If you want to compare providers, look at Washington (4 miles, a larger centre), McLean (5 miles) and Alexandria (6 miles). Distance matters because pickup fees and the time until the ashes come back both grow with the drive.
Our estimate
87,500
Estimated dog- or cat-owning households in Arlington
How we calculated this
238,000 ÷ 2.5 = 95,200 households; × 53% (dog) + 39% (cat) = 87,500. Homes are counted once however many pets they keep.
Our estimate
7,300
Arlington families who lose a dog or cat each year (estimate)
How we calculated this
87,500 dog/cat-owning homes ÷ average lifespan (dog: 12.69 yrs + cat: 11.18 yrs) ≈ 7,300 a year. A floor, not a ceiling.
53%[1]
53% of US households own a dog, which is about 71 million households.
12.69 years[2]
US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years.
39%[3]
39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households.
11.18 years[4]
US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years.
Sources for the statistics above: Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science and American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry.
Ashes, graves and the print that comes first
On cremation, Virginia sits in the middle, at about 55.6%[5] of human deaths, and for many families the choice is shaped by faith as much as by cost. If your beliefs lean toward burial, or you're simply unsure how you feel about cremating a pet, a paw print sits comfortably with either path. It involves nothing more than a gentle press into clay or onto card, and it leaves your pet exactly as they were.
We take the Virginia rate from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It is a human statistic; there is no equivalent pet figure for Arlington, and we would rather show a real number than invent one.
When the weather works against clay and ink
If you plan a 3D cast rather than a flat print, the Arlington heat changes the chemistry. Two-part silicone molding putty and casting resin both set faster when it's warm, so in June, July and August you may have only a minute or two to press the paw before the putty firms up. Work in an air-conditioned room, keep the kit in a cool cupboard beforehand and mix only once your pet is settled and in position.
Ink behaves differently in the Arlington heat. Pet-safe ink pads dry out quickly in warm rooms, which gives a patchy print, and a warm, damp paw can slide and smudge. Take ink prints in the coolest room of the house, with the air conditioning on, and dry the paw with a towel first. Press straight down, lift straight up and take three or four prints so you can keep the clearest.
What owners in Arlington typically pay for a print
Some providers include the print in the package. A Virginia crematory, for example, includes a paw print and a fur clipping with every private cremation package, which run $189–$300[6]. Others charge separately: a Northeast crematory network lists $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay print and $111 framed[7]. When you compare quotes in Arlington, check which approach each provider takes.
For a line-by-line price table, see the Virginia overview; for what's included in each option, see our services.
Free tool
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Burial, scattering and prints in Virginia
You don't need anyone's permission to take your pet's paw print, and prints, casts and ashes jewelry can be kept, posted or carried anywhere. The rules that matter in Virginia are about burial and scattering. If you plan a home burial, take the print before you begin; if you plan to scatter, keep some ashes back for a print pendant first.
To find your county or city office in Virginia, start with the official Virginia local government directory.
Start with the Virginia rules, which cover burial, scattering and oversight for the whole state, and treat Arlington's local ordinances as a possible extra layer.
A short checklist for a clean print
- Take a breath. When a pet dies at home, the first few hours usually leave enough time to make a print. Settle them on a towel somewhere cool.
- Gather what you need: a damp cloth, and either clay you've softened between your palms or a sheet of card fixed to a board alongside a pet-safe ink pad.
- If the leg has stiffened, bring the clay to the paw. Ease it onto the pads with light pressure; don't try to push the foot down.
- Take a nose print too if you'd like one, with a light touch of ink or an inkless wipe.
- Call your vet or crematory once you're done, and mention that you've already taken a print so they don't need to.
- Let the print dry indoors, away from heaters and sunny windows, before you frame or post it anywhere.
Remembering your pet through their print
Space in an Arlington apartment is usually tight, so compact memorials tend to suit: a small urn on a bookshelf, a framed paw print, or a piece of cremation jewelry holding a pinch of ash. Families in single-family homes may have room for a garden stone or a tree. If you're likely to move, choose something that travels easily and won't be left behind with the house.
Compare every option on our services page, or see what other families chose in the poll results, read our guides and latest articles, the planning tools turn your pet's details into figures. Close to Arlington we also cover Norfolk, Newport News, Richmond and Chesapeake; the full list for Virginia and for the United States is a click away.
Reader polls
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Free tools to help you plan
Memorial budget planner
Add up cremation, urn, keepsakes and a farewell so the total holds no surprises.
Paw print keepsake chooser
Match a print method to your pet's size, fur and the keepsake you want to keep.
Jewelry ash capacity guide
How much ash fits in pendants, rings and glass, and how many pieces one pet can fill.
Questions people ask
Why does the Arlington page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) reports about 55.6%[5] of Virginia residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Arlington?
The closest communities we cover are Washington (about 4 miles), McLean (about 5 miles) and Alexandria (about 6 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Arlington too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Arlington?
January and February: average lows are below freezing then, and frozen ground makes a home grave slow or impossible until it thaws. The other pressure point is July, when highs around 90°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
How many pet owners live in Arlington?
By our estimate, about 87,500 households in Arlington have at least one dog or cat, and around 7,300 are lost each year. We calculate this from the city's population of about 238,000, the average household size and national ownership and lifespan figures, so treat it as a floor rather than an exact count.
Can my pet's paw print be turned into a tattoo?
Yes, and it's a popular choice. A tattoo artist will want a clear, high-contrast flat print, so an ink or inkless print works better than clay. Scan it at a high resolution and bring the file to your consultation. Many people have the print tattooed at actual size, sometimes with the pet's name or a nose print alongside.
Can I get a hoof print from my horse?
Yes. Most owners take one after the farrier has trimmed and cleaned the hoof: pick out the sole, dry it and press it into a thick slab of clay on a board, or paint it with non-toxic paint and press it onto heavy card. Someone should hold the foot steady. Many owners also keep the last shoe and a length of tail hair.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] 53% of US households own a dog, which is about 71 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [2] US dogs have an average life expectancy at birth of 12.69 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [3] 39% of US households own a cat, which is about 53 million households. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 State of the Industry, 2025.
- [4] US cats seen at Banfield hospitals have an average life expectancy at birth of 11.18 years. Montoya et al. 2023, Frontiers in Veterinary Science - Banfield Pet Hospital life expectancy tables (13.3 million dogs, 2.4 million cats, 2013-2019), 2023.
- [5] The NFDA projected Virginia's cremation rate at 55.6% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [6] Heavenly Paws Cremations in Chantilly, Virginia, sells private cremation packages at $189 (temporary container), $225 (wooden urn) and $300 (wooden photo urn), each including a paw print and fur clipping. Heavenly Paws Cremations – Packages, 2026.
- [7] Final Gift charges $49 for ink paw prints, $76 for a clay or silver-clay paw print, $111 framed, and $133 framed with a fur clipping; a fur clipping alone costs $23. Final Gift Pet Memorial Center – Memorial Products, 2026.
- [8] Published ashes-return times across the network's markets range from same-day (paid express) to about 4 weeks; a conservative typical window is 3-14 days. Our estimate: min/max across sources: Lambeth 3 days; US 5-10 days; RSPCA QLD within 14 days; AniCura Sweden 2-4 weeks. How we calculate.
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