The death of a much-loved pet is always distressing. For many pet owners it can feel almost as bad as losing a close relative. For some it's every bit as bad - or worse. Whatever the degree of emotional attachment people have for their pet, it does not end when the time comes for saying goodbye. There's a natural desire to do everything that can be done to ensure the end is as dignified and respectful as possible. But when it comes to the final act - the disposal of a pet's remains - dignity is difficult. It's not always practical to arrange burial. And, if cremation is the only solution, what exactly does that mean? The sad truth is that cremation often equates to mass incineration - of your pet's remains along with those of many others - and ultimate disposal in a landfill site. 
Conscious of the additional distress this can cause distraught owners, national pet care company Animals at Home is launching a sympathetic new service in partnership with Pet Cremation Services (PCS), specialists in the field for 20 years. The service guarantees a individual pet cremation service for the pet at one of six pet crematoria around England - those run by PCS in the North-East, South-East and South-West plus a further three in South Yorkshire, Northants and Berkshire. 
"We can collect the pet from its home - or from the vet's - and transport it direct to the crematorium," says Animals at Home's Mark Booty. "We will then return the ashes to the owners in their choice of a tasteful cardboard 'scatterbox', pet cremation casket or pet cremation urns. "There's a wide range of these containers from which to select - and the ashes will always be accompanied by a signed 
guarantee that they are those of the family pet. "If they wish, owners can come with us to the crematorium and say goodbye in the chapel of rest before the cremation. It's all about providing a service that responds to a pet owner's understandable need to give their much-loved friend a dignified and sensitive farewell - something totally lacking with mass incineration." The service will also allow the owners to choose from a range of pet memorials for the house or garden, each of which can be engraved with a personal message. The new initiative is being launched by Animals at Home at this year's Crufts dog show at the NEC, Birmingham, Initially, it will operate in two pilot areas covered by the company's Gloucestershire and West Manchester franchises. Expansion across the whole of England is scheduled to follow within a few weeks. Animals at Home and PCS are confident the service will appeal to a great many of the people who, between them, own the 20 million pets estimated to live in the UK. "There are other options, of course," says Mark Booty, "but each creates its own set of problems. "Home burial will appeal to a lot of people, but the grave will need to be at least three-feet deep to deter scavengers - that's not always going to be a practical proposition - and then there's the long-term situation to consider - are you likely to move? "Burial in a pet cemetery is an option, and we can arrange this with our partners, but the cemetery may not be local. 
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Pet Breeders, Pet Associations and Pet SuppliesGet your details listed in our Directory Or submit an article/feature You do not need to have a website to get listed, however you will need a contact email address - just click here to contact us. |