A pet crematorium has been opened by two Perthshire women looking to fill a gap in the local market.
Furget Me Not Pet Cremations in Auchterarder offers a pick-up and cremation service of deceased pets.
At a converted joiner’s workshop on Ruthven Yard, Jan McFarlane and Carol McIntosh have installed a cremator suitable for pets.
The pair noticed a need for the service in Tayside as Jan had to travel to Falkirk to have her sister’s dog cremated a few years ago.
As the pandemic hit, they stayed in their jobs in residential care and bereavement services since they were busier than ever.
This summer, Jan and Carol were finally able to open their own business.
Helping pet owners and families
The pair have been friends for a long time, working in nursing, bereavement and a crematorium together. Jan still works for a funeral director.
They often get asked how they manage to do the job they have chosen.
“Because it’s a very rewarding job, working with families in a time of need,” Jan explains.
“It’s upsetting at times, but you have to put yourself in people’s shoes.
“You’re there to support them, guide them through the process and help them as much as you can. I just love it.”
For many, losing a pet is like losing a member of the family.
Pick-ups and deliveries from Furget Me Not therefore often include chats with the pet’s owners.
“You can’t just go in and take the pet away, you have to sit with them and listen to their fascinating stories,” says Jan.
“Sometimes you leave in tears because you get so involved in it. It’s hard not to, you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t.”
Furget Me Not ‘is a privilege’
Each pet is individually cremated and the remains are placed in either a scatter tube or an oak casket with a nameplate.
Carol and Jan then return the pet to the owner with a certificate and forget-me-not seeds.
“Often people keep their pet with them until they’re ready to go themselves or they can scatter the ashes in their own garden,” Carol explains.
“They can also plant the seeds to get flowers to remember the pet by.”
As the pair don’t work with any vets, they hope pet owners in Perthshire will approach them to have their pet cremated locally.
With a quick and personal service, Jan and Carol hope to grow their business until they can work on Furget Me Not full-time.
While their job might seem unusual to many, they would not change it for the world.
“It’s not a job, it’s a privilege to meet families in their bereaved state and listen to all their stories about their pets,” Jan says.
“They’re glad to see that their pet receives the afterlife treatment that they deserve.”
Conversation