Pet Fur Keepsake Ideas: How to Collect, Store and Keep Your Pet's Fur

Most pet fur keepsake ideas start with the same small step: a tuft of fur, collected gently and kept dry with a name and date on it. From there you can tuck it into a clear capsule keychain or a locket, frame it with a photo or paw print, or keep it in a box with their collar.

If you're reading this because your pet has just died, we're so sorry. Nearly everything here can wait. The one thing worth doing soon, if you'd like a clipping, is asking your vet clinic or cremation service to save some fur. The same steps work for happier milestones too, like a puppy's first haircut.

When should you collect your pet's fur?

Any time. With a living pet, regular brushing gives you plenty, and a first groom or puppy haircut is a sweet moment to save a lock. If your pet is old or ill, you don't have to wait: a few minutes with the brush during a quiet cuddle is enough.

Wondering what to do with pet fur after death? You still have options. Fur collects on their brush, bed, blankets and favorite sweater, and a vet clinic or cremation service may be able to save a clipping if you ask. Saving fur clippings is one of the ways to remember a pet listed in the Cornell Feline Health Center's guide to grieving the loss of your cat.

How to save dog fur (or cat fur) gently

Brushing is the easiest way to save dog fur, and a small trim from a hidden spot gets you fur closer to the color you remember. If your pet won't sit still for either, ask a groomer or your vet clinic to do the snipping. Whichever you choose, collect a little more than you think you need.

Brushing

Brush as usual, then lift the fur off the brush in one piece and pick out any grit. On short coats, a few sessions' worth adds up. If you use our Mist Grooming Brush, skip the water mist on collecting days so the fur stays dry. Its pins retract and push the fur off in one sheet, which makes it easy to save.

Brushed fur is mostly loose, shed hair. On double-coated dogs like Pomeranians and Shiba Inus, that undercoat can look softer and paler than the outer coat you picture when you think of them.

A small trim from a hidden spot

Snip a small tuft somewhere it won't show, such as the feathering on the back of the thighs or the fluff under the chest. Hold the tuft between two fingers and cut only the ends that stick out past them. If your pet squirms, stop. Your groomer can save a lock at the next appointment instead.

Ask the vet clinic or cremation service

PetMD's guide to pet memorials and funerals notes that many veterinarians offer to make a paw print as part of their euthanasia service. When you call to arrange the appointment or aftercare, you can also ask whether they'll save a clipping of fur. Asking ahead means one less thing to think about on the day.

Label it and keep a spare

Put each batch in its own envelope or small bag and write your pet's name, the date and where it came from ("first groom, behind left ear"). Keep a spare batch even after you fill a keepsake, in case someone in the family would like one later.

How should you store pet fur so it lasts?

Keep it dry and sealed, somewhere dark. Make sure the fur is completely dry, put it in a small zip-top bag (or a paper envelope inside one), label it, and store it in a drawer or keepsake box rather than on a sunny shelf or in a damp room.

• Dry it first. If the fur is at all damp from a bath or a rainy walk, spread it on a paper towel and let it air-dry before bagging. Damp fur sealed in plastic can go musty.
• Seal it. A closed bag keeps out dust and clothes moths, whose larvae feed on animal fibers like wool and fur.
• Pick a steady spot. A dresser drawer or closet shelf beats a sunny windowsill, a hot attic or a steamy bathroom.
• Skip glue and tape. If you frame fur, set it behind glass or in a small clear pouch so you can move it to another keepsake later.

Pet fur keepsake ideas

Each idea below works as a pet memorial keepsake or for a pet who's still curled up beside you, and most need only a small tuft. Cornell's pet loss resources list a key chain, jewelry, an ornament or another keepsake that holds a pet's ashes, hair or whiskers among its memorial ideas.

A clear capsule keychain

Our Pet Fur Keepsake Keychain is a small clear resin capsule on a metal chain and clasp. Open it, tuck in a little fur (whiskers or a nail clipping fit too) and close it. It arrives empty and weighs a few grams, so it's easy to forget it's on your keys.

There are 17 styles, and all but one are dogs: designs named for breeds such as Corgi, Golden Retriever, Samoyed, Pomeranian, Bichon, French Bulldog and Dalmatian, a few general puppy designs, and one lop-eared bunny. There are no cat shapes. Most styles are a rounded capsule with a painted face. The two Shiba Inu styles are full-body sitting figures, and the Sleeping Shiba Inu is clear and unpainted, so check each photo before you choose. It comes as a single keychain or a set of 3 in the same style.

A locket or pendant

A locket with a glass window, or a hinged one, holds a small curl of fur close to you. PetMD also mentions pendants and rings made to hold a small amount of ashes, if your pet was cremated.

Framed with a photo or paw print

A shadow box frame has room for a favorite photo, a paw print and a lock of fur behind glass. PetMD suggests a keepsake or shadow box for things like pictures, a paw print, a lock of hair, a toy or a collar. For the print itself, VCA Hospitals says you can make a simple plaster cast of a paw print with supplies ordered online, and the AKC describes clay nose and paw print kits, some made as ornaments.

An ornament

A clear fillable ornament with a little fur inside, or a clay paw print ornament, gives them a spot on the tree each year. It can also hang in a window all year.

Kept with their collar

Some keepsakes need nothing new. Cornell suggests a special spot for their urn and a favorite photo, with items like their collar, ID tag or toy nearby, or carrying their ID tag on your key chain or in your wallet. A labeled envelope of fur fits in the same box.

What to get someone who lost their dog

Start with a card that uses their dog's name and, if you have one, a favorite memory of them. If you'd like to add a gift, keep it small and personal, and ask before making anything from their pet's fur or photos.

• Ask first. Some people want a keepsake right away; others can't look at photos for months. As Cornell puts it, there is no "normal" timeline for grief.
• Keep it small. A frame for a favorite photo, a donation in the dog's name, or a fur keepsake they fill themselves are all thoughtful. Our keychain arrives empty, so what goes inside stays their choice, and a set of 3 lets them share with family.
• Offer to help collect fur. If they'd like a keepsake but can't face the brush yet, offer to sit with them while they gather fur from a bed or blanket, or to call the vet clinic for them and ask about a clipping.
• Leave out the advice. "I'm so sorry about Biscuit" says plenty. Skip any talk of a new dog.
• Send the card first. Gifts ordered online take time (ours arrive in 6 to 14 business days), so a kind note can go today.

Where can you find pet loss support?

Cornell University runs a Pet Loss Support Hotline at 607-218-7457, staffed by volunteer veterinary students trained by professional grief counselors. Hours change with the season, so call for current times. Cornell's pet loss support page also lists other hotlines, online support groups and books for adults and children.

The hotline isn't a mental health line. If grief keeps getting in the way of sleep, eating or everyday tasks for a long stretch, Cornell notes that professional support is likely to help. If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988.

Common questions about fur keepsakes

Does the keychain come in cat shapes?

No. All 17 styles are dogs except one lop-eared bunny. The capsule holds any pet's fur, but check each style's photo before you choose.

How much fur do I need?

A small tuft is enough for a capsule keychain or a locket. Save extra in a labeled envelope so you have some for a second keepsake later.

Can I put ashes in the keychain?

It's made for fur, whiskers or a nail clipping and isn't sold as a container for ashes. For ashes, look for a pendant or urn made to hold them.