Cherished Pet Memorial Services, family owned & operated, was established in 1997 and done so because of many years of guilt feelings. We took our training in Memphis, Tennessee through the International Association of Pet Cemetarians.
To further explain, in 1984, our beloved Collie, Kibbles, was stricken with severe arthritis. She was 10 yrs old. We saw that she was in pain. We acknowledged that there was no quality of life for her anymore. She couldn't get around anymore. No more could she go to the bus stop to greet the kids as they disembarked. No more could she play catch with the neighbourhood children and no more could she go brook swimming with our daughter and sons.
The next day, the dreaded visit to the Veterinarian. He understood our pain and allowed us to stay with her while he injected the fluid that would allow her to rest in eternal peace. We held her close to us, whispering our love & devotion for her. She took her last breath shortly after receiving the fluid. She didn't fight death. She faced it with courage and with great relief. Her eyes said it all.
The Veterinarian gave us time to say our goodbyes to her. Shortly after, he asked us if we wanted him to "take care of her." We answered yes thinking only of our own grief and despair at that moment. We left his office in haste, wanting to grieve in the privacy of our home. A few days later, we began to question ourselves. "What did he mean by, take care of her? Was she taken care of by going to a cemetery or for cremation?" We needed answers. My husband visited the Veterinarian and asked him, "What did you mean by take care of her? Where did she go?" The Veterinarian hesitated for a moment or two. He then answered the question, as sensitively as he could, that our beloved "Kibbles" had gone to the landfill site.
We realized at that point that we were at fault for not doing our research earlier, for not asking the right questions and for not preparing for our pet's death as we should have. We did not blame the Veterinarian. He didn't have many options available to him. In those days, the animals were sent to landfill sites. We were devastated. My husband and I made a pact. If we were ever in the position to provide all pets with a proper & dignified transition to the after-life, we would do it "In memory of our Kibbles".
In February of 1997, we were in business providing other pet owners what wasn't available to us in 1984. We are located in Summerville, New Brunswick, Canada