Pre-planning for the loss of your pet
More and more people are recognizing their own mortality and are making the necessary arrangements for their funeral well in advance of their passing. Few, however, take the time to think about how they will deal with this same situation when their pet is taken from them through accident, illness or old age.
Preparing for that fateful day
When that fateful day does arrive, how will you cope with the loss of your pet? Will you have prepared your children for this event, and will you be able to help them cope with the loss? Will you have discovered beforehand what options you have with respect to burial or cremation? Do you know the costs, advantages, and limitations associated with each option?
At Thistledown we help pet owners prepare for and cope with the loss of their animal companion. Our selection of support literature, our indoor and outdoor niche walls for the placement of pet urns and the walking trails on our fifty acre property are all designed to help pet owners through this very difficult time. Bring your pet to Thistledown for a visit and let us help you pre-plan.
Questions to consider when pre-planning for the loss of your pet
- If your pet must be euthanized, would you prefer it to be performed at home, at your clinic, or at Thistledown Pet Memorial?
- If you prefer a home euthanasia, does your clinic provide this service?
- What would you like to do with your pet’s remains (your pet’s after-care)?
- To what extent do you wish to be involved in your pet’s after-care?
- Would you like a funeral service for your pet (a service of some type does help provide closure)?
- How would you like to memorialize your pet?
- Where are all of these services offered and what are the costs involved with each?
Pre-planning for the loss of your pet
Many of our clients have found that having all family members participate in pre-planning for the loss of a family pet is beneficial for all involved. While we may have the advantage of preparing ourselves for the loss of a senior or ailing pet, when pets are taken from us through accident or sudden illness we do not have this same opportunity to prepare ourselves.
Remember, our pets’ lives are too short compared to our own, and their loss prior to our own demise generally is inevitable. Failure to undertake some pre-planning will only add to the trauma experienced when that fateful day does arrive.
After-care Services
When a pet passes, typical after-care options include cremation or burial. At Thistledown we do not accept any animal remains for burial; we deal strictly with pet cremation. We encourage pet owners to contact us prior to the loss of their pet to help educate themselves regarding:
- The after-care options available to them when their pet dies;
- Some of the advantages and disadvantages of each option; and
- How they might access these options, and typical costs associated with each option.
Burial vs cremation
For those pet owners desiring burial rather than cremation:
- we suggest they look into possible by-law restrictions should they desire a “home burial”;
- we mention that burial costs in a pet cemetery may require an initial charge plus an annual maintenance fee;
- we tell them that we have been asked to exhume pets that have been buried in the past and the owners are considering the sale of their property; and
- we provide information regarding the locations and contact numbers for pet cemeteries in their area.
Cremation Services
We provide information regarding the services we can provide at Thistledown and suggest the pet owner contact their vet clinic to determine:
- the nature of the services the clinic can provide;
- the time delay between a euthanasia and the return of ash (if cremation is preferred);
- the level of personal involvement they may have in their pet’s after-care;
- if any clinic staff or any other clients has ever visited the pet crematorium they use and viewed a cremation;
- what is actually meant by the terms “Private Cremation” and “Individual Cremation”;
- what is actually meant by the term “Return of Ash”; and
- the costs associated with the various cremation options offered.
Thistledown Services Information
Where are you located?
Thistledown Pet Memorial is located on the southern edge of the Town of Uxbridge, Ontario. Because of the close proximity of Thistledown to Highways 401, 404 and 407, we are able to provide essential pet loss pre-planning and after-care services to pet owners living throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
We are about 45 minutes from the Hwy 401/Don Valley interchange.
Do you offer transportation services?
With pre-planning, Thistledown can arrange to collect your pet from your vet clinic for the aftercare services for a nominal fee.
What funeral and memorial services do you offer?
With the exception of not accepting pet remains for burial, we offer a complete pet after-care service. On numerous occasions our clients have remarked that seeing the building where their pet will be cremated, seeing the tranquil nature of the Thistledown property, not having to wait an extended period of time for the return of their pet’s ashes, and meeting the people who will be handling their pet’s remains, brings peace of mind, even during that very difficult time following the loss of their pet. For those pet owners not choosing cremation, we can provide contact information regarding pet cemeteries located in the southern Ontario area.
On-site Pet Cremation
Prior to 2008, we did not have a crematorium at Thistledown but had to rely on the services of an off-site pet crematorium. This situation has since changed and we now have our own on-site crematorium at Thistledown. Consequently, we are now able to offer the timely and personalized cremation service that many pet owners require for their departed animal companion. Realizing that everyone’s needs are very personal and may vary from owner to owner, we offer five different cremation options.