Kevin inspecting an Irish Pet Crematorium on Farm Fixer

This shows Kevin Spurgeon from Dignity Pet Crematorium inspecting an Irish pet cremation service for the APPCC for a BBC programme.  The couple then visit Dignity Pet Crematorium to see the high standards of service and attention to detail plus get some valuable advice from Kevin.

 

Or view on our YouTube Channel here:  http://www.youtube.com/v/o-CWcJGi0nA?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&feature=share&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=nF4UUdplaUVXu85_D9tiBw

BBC REPORT ON PET CREMATION RAISES QUESTIONS ON HOW VETS SELL PET CREMATIONS

BBC REPORT ON PET CREMATION RAISES QUESTIONS ON HOW VETS SELL PET CREMATIONS

Yesterday the programme YOU & YOURS on BBC RADIO 4 featured an article on pet cremation.  It told how a grieving pet owner was quoted a large fee for the individual cremation of her cat and, when she said she could not afford it, was not given the full picture when she was being sold an alternative cheaper "communal pet cremation service" by her vet.

Shockingly if the owner had arranged the cremation direct with the pet crematorium she would have paid only £95 for an individual pet cremation instead of the £275 quoted by her vet.  Instead she paid £88 for euthanasia and "communal cremation" without being told what it entailed.  Soon after lady contacted the crematorium in order to visit the gardens where she presumed her much loved cat's ashes had been scattered alongside other pets only to be phoned by her vet who told her that the ashes would be taken to a landfill site.


Pets and clinical waste collected and transported together

Sadly this form of basic disposal is either not described by vets or is mis-described as a more caring service in order to "spare people's feelings".  The client is often not given vital information that would help them make an informed decision as to what to do with their pet's remains.   The standard service offered by the weekly companies normally used by vets involves the pet being put into a body bag before being stored in their freezer until the routine collection takes place.  Bodies of much loved pets are then collected alongside clinical waste and transported many miles to a national operator who separates the bodies for their "ashes back" service from those for mass incineration.  The company then "processes" the bodies with no respectful handling before either taking ashes back to the vet the following week or storing them in a skip so that they can be disposed of at landfill.

Covered skip with pet ashes in destined for landfill site

With regard to the individual cremation fee that was quoted it raises concerns that vets are not complying with Consumer Protection Regulations by itemising the handling / arrangement fee they are adding separately to the cremation service cost to them.  This has led to many owners paying over the odds when arranging the service through their vet.  One dog owner was quoted almost £470 for euthanasia and individual cremation of his Great Dane by a corporate vet chain - the expected cost would be over half that through a specialist pet crematorium.

The cremation service encompasses the entire service from handling, storage and transport right through to how the pet is cremated.  It seems as though pet owners should look at arranging the cremation of their pet direct with their local pet crematorium rather than leaving them with their vet - by doing so they will probably get a much better service for a much lower price!

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. Should vets (and crematoria) give an accurate description of the cremation services they are offering to pet owners so they can make an informed decision?

 2. Should vets offering cremation services itemise out their bills to show any uplift in cost to the pet owner?

Useful links:

Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria www.appcc.org.uk
Pet Cremation Services information site www.petcremationservices.co.uk
Dignity Pet Crematorium www.dignitypetcrem.co.uk

Pet Crematorium features in new Dog Book

Pet Crematorium features in new

Dog Friendly Gardening Book

Dog-friendly Gardening: Creating a safe haven for you and your dog

I readily admit that I receive a regular stream of calls that other people would consider strange or bizarre and it is rare that I admits to an enquiry ever taking me by surprise, but when Karen Bush contacted me to ask if I would contribute to her book on gardening I was left lost for words!

I am not the world’s greatest gardener and so luckily for me the book in question was called “Dog-friendly gardening – creating a safe haven for you and your dog” and Karen’s request was for some expert advice on pet cremation and burial, as well as information on ways to remember your much loved pet after their death. 

Although I have been asked to contribute to articles before this is the first time I have been involved in a book on gardening!  Karen’s book is a must read for dog lovers as it gives easy to follow advice on, amongst other things, how to make your dog’s environment safe, stimulating and fun for them. 

 

I was really flattered when I was asked to help in the chapter entitled “Goodbye, dear friend” and there is a lovely photograph of my wonderful dog Mikey included in the book.  I still have Mikey’s ashes beside me in my office since his death in 2007 but plan to scatter them in the gardens at Dignity Pet Crematorium when I’m ready.  I can even join him when my time comes now we have permission to also scatter human ashes in our grounds!

Pet death is a taboo subject that many pet owners do not want to think about until their pet is either diagnosed with a life limiting illness or they are faced with the decision to put them to sleep.  This means people are often rushed into making a choice as to what to do with their pet’s body immediately after their death.  Many owners just go with what their vet suggests; and with most vets contracting to weekly collection firms this can lead to their pet being frozen then taken away like waste rather than receiving the dignified send-off that the owner would have perhaps preferred. 

Thinking about it in advance means that people can do their own research and choose a more personal service at a specialist individual pet crematorium or cemetery if they wish.  Alternatively they can opt to bury their pet in their own garden, although they must always consider beforehand what they will do if they move house.

The Author, Karen Bush, has written regularly for leading national magazine Your Dog since its inception and has authored 18 other books to date.  Covering safety, planting (and what not to plant), garden projects and much more Dog-friendly gardening is packed with helpful and innovative ideas to help both owners and their dogs enjoy their garden.   Following the death of her rescue dog Boris, Karen chose to take him to Dignity Pet Crematorium to be individually cremated.  When writing her book she felt that it should also provide owners with help and advice on pet loss. 

 

 

Published in July 2012 and priced at £12.99, the book is now available from the publisher (HubbleandHattie.com), Amazon & other good bookstores.  For media enquiries please contact the publisher Jude Brooks on 07870 623980

Click here for other useful sites on pet crematoriums and pet cremations services.

Pet Cremation approved by Hampshire Trading Standards

Pet Crematorium gets Trading Standards Seal of Approval

Award winning Dignity Pet Crematorium has become the region’s only pet crematorium to gain approval from Trading Standards having been accepted into their Buy With Confidence Scheme.



Kevin from Dignity Pet Crematorium receiving certificate

Launched in 1999 the scheme provides consumers with a list of local businesses which have given their commitment to trading fairly. Every business listed has undergone a series of detailed checks before being approved as a member of the scheme. 

Kevin Spurgeon said “Sadly the reputation of pet crematoria has been tarnished by scandals in recent times – most notably the Peak Pet Cremations fraud case.  We hope being accepted onto the Buy With Confidence Scheme will help reassure both pet owners and veterinary practices by giving them more confidence that the pet cremation service we offer is being described honestly and accurately to them.  I hope this will prompt other pet crematoriums to join the scheme.”

Membership of the scheme is not given lightly – amongst other checks, each applicant will have their complaints history reviewed and will receive a visit from Trading Standards. Good references are required from previous customers and applicants must agree to abide by the scheme's code of conduct, which requires them to follow the letter and spirit of the law.

The family run business is also delighted at being ranked 1^st out of 810 pet service providers throughout the UK after receiving a string of glowing reviews from their customers on the Freeindex website.

Kevin explains “We are the only pet crematorium to have live, independent reviews displayed on our website.  Our average rating is currently 5 out of 5 and we have been truly humbled by the kind things people have said about us in their reviews.  It spurs us on to do our best to help owners give their pet the send-off it deserves.”

Dignity Pet Crematorium started in 1992

This summer the pet crematorium will be celebrating it’s 20^th anniversary.  Dignity was started by Barry and Carole Spurgeon in 1992 after being distressed by a documentary showing the way pets were treated like waste after their death.  Barry, a fashion agent for 30 years, wanted their dog Brutus to have a more respectful end and so came up with the idea of using the Grade 2 Victorian Brick Kiln in their garden to provide individual pet cremation services.

Barry says “Worryingly, nothing has changed much and the way pets are treated varies considerably so it’s important owners do their own research before the day so they can make an informed decision as to who looks after their pet when the time comes.”

For more information about Dignity Pet Crematorium's individual pet cremation services in Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, London and surrounding areas just visit the Dignity Pet Crematorium website.  For other pet crematoria visit www.appcc.org.uk

Visit Dignity's Facebook Page for up to date information

Pet Bereavement Book Review - Bill at Rainbow Bridge by Dan Carrison

Bill at Rainbow Bridge by Dan Carrison

A Review by Kevin Spurgeon, partner at award winning Dignity Pet Crematorium based in Hampshire (UK).

Having read countless pet bereavement publications over the years it isn’t very often that I’ve encountered a book dealing with pet loss that comes at you from a completely different direction. “Bill at Rainbow Bridge” does exactly that. 

Before I started reading the book I had a couple of reservations and some preconceived ideas about what to expect - mainly because it was written by an American author who I’d not heard of before and because, to be perfectly honest, the illustrations weren’t exactly my cup of tea.

When I finally got round to reading the book I wished that; firstly, I had picked it up a lot sooner and secondly, that I hadn’t been naïve enough to have any preconceptions! 

The book, although fictional, is based on the author’s own experience of pet loss and tells the stories of “Bill” (a deceased bulldog) and his former owner David.  It starts with Bill’s arrival at Rainbow Bridge then switches back to David who, six weeks on from the death of his much loved dog is struggling to come to terms with his loss.

The story touches on many of the emotions that we experience when grieving for our much loved family pets and I found the concept of the reader coming to understand their own feelings by exploring the grief David was going through worked really well. 

The book also offers great comfort through the message that hopefully, when we die, we don’t just disappear but our soul (the spark of life that makes us who we are – be it dog or human) lives on in another form.  I caught myself welling up at various points during the book as it brought back memories of how I felt when I lost my own pets.  I do hope there is a Rainbow Bridge where we all go to when the time comes.

For people struggling to come to terms with their loss I would suggest they read “Bill at Rainbow Bridge” alongside a pet bereavement help book like “Losing a Pet” by Jane Matthews.  In addition it is also really beneficial to talk through your feelings with someone from the PBSS (Pet Bereavement Support Service - UK) or you can contact a pet bereavement counsellor like David does in “Bill at Rainbow Bridge”.

Either way I would wholeheartedly recommend reading this book if you are.  It is available in the UK on kindle as an e-book and can be purchased at Amazon.co.uk or you can buy a hard copy for £9.50 (including first-class postage) via the UK distributor (tel. Caroline on 01406 331421 or email her at caroline.davis544@btinternet.com).

More information on Bill at Rainbow Bridge is available at or via the author’s Facebook page 

For more help with pet loss & pet bereavement support please contact:

PBSS free telephone befriender service 0800 096 6606

Or visit the SCAS website for more information on pet loss

I hope you found my review helpful. 

You can also visit the Dignity Pet Crematorium Facebook page for help, advice & information on pet cremation services.

Click here to visit our Facebook page!

All the best

Kevin

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
The Rainbow Bridge is a very well know poem that has helped countless pet lovers over the years.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown
http://rainbowsbridge.com/Poem.htm

Individual Pet Cremation: Pet Cremation Services - do you go via your vet or...

Individual Pet Cremation: Pet Cremation Services - do you go via your vet or...: When "that" time comes how many of us have thought about what after death care choices are out there beforehand? Many people only come fac...

Pet Cremation Services - do you go via your vet or to a pet crematorium direct?

When "that" time comes how many of us have thought about what after death care choices are out there beforehand?

Many people only come face to face with that decision at the point of or just after the Euthanasia of their much loved pet.  Nowadays most vets will offer clients the choice of only one company that can either cremate pets individually or en masse.  It may be that the company being used also takes away the vet's clinical waste and does so at the same time (on a weekly basis) as the pets that have died.

This means that your pet will remain in a freezer until the next scheduled collection.  When the van comes they will be taken away at the same time as other pets that have died that week and most likely alongside the practice's clinical waste.  The van will proceed on it's round to other veterinary surgeries in the area before returning to the crematorium.

A standard weekly veterinary collection service

Of course none of this is described to us and we are told our pet will be "looked after"

and be "treated with dignity" but is being put in a bag, into a freezer then

into a van with clinical waste in the least bit dignified?

Another option is to take your pet away for home burial - but what if you move, your garden is too small or if your pet is simply too large to bury? There are pet cemeteries scattered around the country but there is no guarantee that they will close leaving you with the dilemma of whether or not to exhume your pet's remains?

The third option is to do your own research and choose a smaller more local pet crematorium to take your pet to.  Normally if they are a specialist individual pet crematorium (don't forget to ask!) they will also provide a responsive collection service meaning your pet will not need to be put into the vet's freezer.  They also usually handle your pet with a lot more respect and can guarantee a genuine individual pet cremation rather than a diluted version sometimes offered by the larger companies.

Dignity Pet Crematorium only offers individual pet cremation services 

In some instances you can even have your pet cremated the same day and wait for their ashes (this normally attracts an additional fee).  If not then you can normally have their ashes back in a couple of days rather than the couple of weeks if organised through the vet!  The other advantage can be price as some vets make large profits from pet cremation services - but I will save that for another time!

For more information visit http://www.dignitypetcrem.co.uk/ or http://www.appcc.org.uk/ for your nearest APPCC member.