The owner of a Perthshire pet cremation service has said its customer connection “can’t be put into words”.
Jan McFarlane and Carol McIntosh own Furget Me Not Pet Cremations in Auchterarder, which has seen success in its first year.
The pair worked together in nursing, bereavement and a crematorium.
They opened the business after noticing a gap in the market.
The firm is located at a converted joiner’s workshop on Ruthven Yard and was named the best pet bereavement service in Scotland after just eight months running.
Privilege to become friends with customers through ‘special connection’
Jan had her own dog cremated about 10 years ago and said it’s important to “hear the pet’s story”.
Pick-ups and deliveries from Furget Me Not often include chats with the pet’s owners.
She said: “It’s not just a case of going and getting a job done.
“We spend a bit of time with the owner, getting to know them and the pet too.”
Each pet is individually cremated and the remains are placed in either a scatter tube or an oak casket with a nameplate.
Jan added: “For some people, their pets are their whole lives. Then all of a sudden, they haven’t got anyone.
“I still visit some customers now and am lucky to say a lot of friendships have developed.
“It can be really difficult, the stories touch you. I have pets myself and know how much they can mean to people.”
“That connection means the world to us. It’s hard to put into words the feeling knowing you’ve made a big difference in their life.”
Jan said the most peculiar pet the company has cremated is a ferret.
Future plans for Furget Me Not Cremations
Jan said they would like to expand the business without impacting the level of service on offer.
She said: “Business is going really well, there’s been a lot of reviews from our customers.
“Hopefully in years to come we can continue to grow but still provide the level of service we have just now.
“We don’ want to lose the connection we have with our customers, so holding onto that is key too.
The business has completed 117 services of mostly domestic pets so far and sees most of its traffic come through word of mouth.
The pair don’t work with vets which allows them to cremate pets locally for Perthshire owners.
Conversation