Yes, You Can Do That

Thank you for checking out the first Forrest Run blog post.  We will be sharing a variety of blog postings that will prove to be educational, as well as entertaining.  Most of the posts will be written by Forrest Run owner Pat Fahrenkrug, with a guest blog every once in a while.  We invite you to comment, ask questions and give us ideas for future posts.

We are very pleased and excited to roll out our newly designed website.   Our goal is to make it easy for our families to interact with us as well as share their stories about their beloved pets with others.

As we start out the year 2013 we thought this would be a good time to let people know how much we have changed as a company and service provider the past few years.  We are no longer just a Pet Cemetery and Cremation Service.  With the help of the families we serve and by recognizing their needs, we have really evolved into a Pet Memorial Tribute Center.   

As you can see at the top of the page we are now called Forrest Run Pet Cremation and Memorial Tribute Center.  The “Center” is located on the grounds of Forrest Run Pet Cemetery.  It is interesting to look at the history of Forrest Run going back to its establishment in 1984.  Recognizing the need for a peaceful and permanent resting place for pets, we started out primarily as a Pet Cemetery, offering burial services and a few private cremations.  Cremation was just beginning to be an accepted practice for pets.  Today, we have over 500 pets buried at Forrest Run, with room for hundred’s more as there are still three undeveloped sections.   Even though we continue to have many burials, I often tell people, it will never be full in my lifetime.  

Much like in the human funeral industry, cremation has become the most popular of the options provided.  In response to that need we put an addition on to the building to accommodate a larger crematory in 2004.   It used to be that the only time we had a visitation or funeral service was when we had a burial.  Now, we have visitations and funeral services for pets that are going to be cremated as well.   The services can be held here at Forrest Run or in the family home.   When offering these services to a family, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, “We didn’t know we could do that”!   

Not too long ago I had a couple that called me on a Sunday night to tell me their beloved Schnauzer had just passed away.  They knew that they wanted cremation for him, and they also wanted to stay while the cremation was being performed, another option that is becoming more popular.  They weren’t sure if they wanted to bring him out right away or spend some more time with him.  While I certainly would have accommodated them if they wanted to come out right away, I encouraged them to spend some time with him, have a visitation…..a vigil for him, if they felt comfortable.  “Can we do that?”, they asked.  Not only did they “do that”, but they put him on his favorite bed with his blanket and called all their neighborhood friends to come over and say good-by.  Along with the neighborhood friends, came their pets who were friends of the beloved Schnauzer too.  When they came out in the morning, they told me how they had so many people coming over that they finally had to close things down at 1 am so they could get some sleep.  They also told me how comforting it was and how much it helped them deal with the intense grief that they were feeling.

While pets have always been an important part of our lives, they have truly evolved into become special members of the family.   As the importance and significance of our pets has evolved, so have our services we provide to you.   Please know that, “Yes, you can do that”, and then give us a call so we can help you.