Pet cemetery-Former local funeral director now serves animal owners | ||||||
TC News correspondent Available for pet owners any time of the day and night, a local pet cemetery service is making a huge impact for area pet lovers. Forrest Run began on five acres in 1984 when two business owners came together to make an idea a reality. Bob Wittmann operated a nursery and landscaping business on what was once a farm in the Sherwood area. Partnering with Jim Gavaert, the gentlemen took a five-acre parcel of the property to devote to a pet cemetery with great success. The idea took hold when Gavaert was a young man visiting his mother's home with his dog. When something unexpected happened to the dog during the visit, Gavaert buried the dog on his mother's property. Ten years later he revisited the neighborhood where his mother had lived and found houses built. After wondering what had happened to his dog, Gavaert came up with the idea of a pet cemetery with the hopes that this experience would not happen to others. In 2004, Pat Fahrenkrug purchased Forrest Run and with the help of his office assistant Jill Frassetto, Fahrenkrug has turned the pet cemetery into a full-time profession. Consistent growth A former funeral director, Fahrenkrug has seen consistent growth at Forrest Run which now services 15 veterinary clinics and two humane associations located from Chilton and the Fox Valley to Oshkosh. Catering to walk-in clients as well, Fahrenkrug's utmost concern is top quality service and compassion for his clients. "Forrest Run is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Fahrenkrug said. "Saturdays and Sundays tend to be very busy times for us. If someone's pet passes on a weekend and they do not know what to do, they call us and we help them out." "As a former funeral director, we always say death doesn't take a holiday," Fahrenkrug added. "It doesn't with pets either. We are always available and on call." The only active pet cemetery in the area, Forrest Run offers plots for purchase in the cemetery and pet cremation. Family plots are also available on the one acre currently in use on the sight. Fahrenkrug personally digs each grave by hand. Room for growth "Three sections of the cemetery are undeveloped at this time," Fahrenkrug said. "We also have a pond on the property." Forrest Run offers private and group cremation options for grieving pet owners. "Private cremation is where the individual pet is cremated and returned to the owner," Fahrenkrug explained. "It is 100 percent guaranteed to be your pet. We use stainless steel I.D. tags so no pet goes unidentified at any time." Group cremation occurs when owners decide to cremate their pet along with other pets. "These are not returned to the owner," Fahrenkrug said. "They are buried in the Companion Garden at Forrest Run." According to Fahrenkrug, 90 percent of his clients choose cremation over burial. Visitors are welcome and Fahrenkrug said many people do spend time at the garden. "We also have a Memorial Wall available where people may include their pet's name," Fahrenkrug added. According to Fahrenkrug, some area cities have ordinances that prohibit pet burial in yards. "It is important to think about how long you will stay at your home," Fahrenkrug said. "And if you are would you be OK with leaving your pet there?" Reburied at Forrest Run Fahrenkrug has had clients sell their home and remove their pets from the original burial place for cremation or burial at Forrest Run. With two crematories on site including a brand new unit, Forrest Run can handle more capacity than in the past. "People's pets seem to be getting larger," Fahrenkrug said. "Our largest cremation was a 240-pound dog." Cremation is not limited to dogs as Fahrenkrug has an impressive list of pets from hamsters, gerbils and birds, to goats and sheep that have been cremated at Forrest Run. "Our most unusual cremation was a tarantula," Fahrenkrug said. "The largest pet buried in the cemetery is a horse." "A large part of our business is people who do not have kids," Fahrenkrug said. "We have a lot of people that this is their family and we treat them that way. We have funeral services for pets including visitations and graveside services." "People will tell us they are having a harder time with their pet's death than they did with their grandmother or parent," Fahrenkrug added. Looking for guidance Frassetto said families that come to Forrest Run are looking for guidance. "People really look to us for something to say that will help them get through this." As they are both pet lovers themselves, Fahrenkrug and Frassetto find it easy to relate to their client's grief. "It can be really sad," Fahrenkrug said. Yearly updates keep Forrest Run in top condition inside and out. "The cemetery itself is a lot of work," Fahrenkrug said. "We invest a lot of money back into the business." Numerous plot markers and monuments are available for families to choose from as well as caskets and urns. New jewelry items that allow small amounts of cremated remains to be incorporated into the jewelry piece are also a popular choice for pet owners. Fahrenkrug finds his profession extremely rewarding. "The satisfaction of helping a family through the loss of a pet and helping them through a difficult time is very rewarding. It's no different than when I was a funeral director." "People are so thankful," Frassetto added. "They thank us for being here and for helping them get through the loss of their pet." Fahrenkrug and Frassetto remember a special couple that has a total of eight cats buried at Forrest Run. "When they got a cat they would call and purchase a plot right away," Fahrenkrug said. "They would have a visitation, service and burial for each cat." Each year since 2006 Forrest Run has held a special Pet Memorial Service with many clients choosing to attend the event every year to commemorate the lives of their pets. Thanks to a perpetual care fund, the pet cemetery will always be in existence, according to Fahrenkrug. "That trust fund is in place to make sure that this place is always here and pet owners do not have to worry." "We are always going to be here," Fahrenkrug said. "The pets will always rest peacefully." Forrest Run is located at W5123 Natures Way Drive, Sherwood. For more information on pet burial and cremation including prices, the pet cemetery has a Web site located at Forrestrun.com and a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/forrestrunpetcremation. Fahrenkrug can be reached at (920) 989-2600. |
Fun information sharing about our beloved pet companions and how to create tributes to the lives they share with us.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
10 Things You Need To Know
10 Things You Need To Know
If you’re
active on facebook, you more than likely know of the latest, “like my status
and I’ll give you a number” posting game.
The idea behind this is to reveal some things about yourself that maybe
not everybody knows. For example someone
gives you the number 10 and you share ten things about yourself. Because we value transparency at Forrest Run
and have a lot of questions from people, we decided that we wanted to play the
game and tell you 10 things you may not know about Forrest Run. We will also throw in some “need to knows”
about pet cremation.
1.
We are going to be celebrating our 30 year
anniversary in 2014.
2.
We
are “nestled” right in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
3.
The
Forrest Run property was once part of a nursery. The former owner of Forrest Run decided to section off 5 acres
of his nursery for the pet cemetery.
4.
The
cremation process for pets is exactly the same as it is for people.
5.
Your
veterinarian most likely doesn’t own or operate a pet crematory. They contract out with a pet cremation
provider like Forrest Run. Ask your
veterinarian who they use for cremation.
6.
We
have an open door policy and will show you any part of our operation. As a pet owner or a veterinarian we believe
you have the right to see how we operate.
After all, you are trusting us with a beloved family member. As a veterinarian, your clients are trusting
you with their beloved family member.
7.
We
have a walk in refrigeration system where pets are caringly placed until it is
time for cremation.
8.
We
have a scheduled time usually once per week where we visit your veterinary
clinic to pick up pets for cremation.
This is also the time we bring back the private cremations from the week
before. For a more expedient return and
for a small fee, you can request that we come to pick your pet up prior to our
scheduled visit.
9.
We
have a Scattering Garden at Forrest Run where all of the group cremated remains
are buried and can rest peacefully.
10. Now for
the biggest mystery of all !!.. (and a little humor). Contrary to popular belief, Jill and Pat are
not married. Jill joined Pat as office
manager (and many other responsibilities) in 2005. She has a wonderful husband, who helps at
Forrest Run, and a beautiful family. Pat
is not married and is happily single. He
will often say he is, ”Married to Forrest Run, which is a pretty happy
marriage”. Check out the links below to
meet us.
These are just 10 items that we hope help answer some questions. But of course we know there may be many
more. Please feel free to contact us at
any time with any questions at all.
There is no such thing as a “strange question”. In fact we welcome them.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Old Yeller
It’s safe to say that times have changed for pets and the way we
care for them since the debut of the movie Old Yeller. For those that
don’t know, "Old Yeller" was the story of the life of a remarkable
Yellow dog that wandered into the life of a family who lived on a ranch back in
the days of the old west. The movie was
made in 1957, but was set in the late 1860's. The part that made the
movie famous was also the worst part and the most difficult to watch. Old
Yeller ends up contracting rabies and has to be "put down" the only
way that was known back then. With the shotgun.
Old Yeller's companion and best buddy a young boy named Travis was the
one who had to pull the trigger. I was thinking the other day how
synonymous the Old Yeller movie is with the modern day movie "Marley and
Me". Both told the story of that wonderful relationship we call the
human/animal bond. Both ended with the
family having to make the decision to end the dogs life. Marley's life came to an end with modern day
anesthetic euthanasia. Even though the way the dogs lives came to an end were
drastically different, the emotion shown by the family was the same.
The comparison of these two movies really shows us how differently
we think about our pet’s lives today and the different options we have now,
that allow them to be such an integral part of our lives. Our pets have really climbed the social
status ladder. What was acceptable and common 60 years ago (or less) is
not so much acceptable and common today. Here are some comparisons of
what was common and acceptable then and what is common and acceptable now:
We take
them everywhere with us:
Sixty years ago (or less) our pets stayed at home and most
likely slept outside in kennels or in the barn.
Very rarely were they allowed in the house. Their job was to hunt and protect.
Today, they come everywhere with us. They accompany us to family gatherings, ride
with us in the car wherever we may be going, and even go to nursing homes to
visit and give comfort to the elderly or come to schools or libraries to
interact with children and help them learn to read. And yes.......they have even taken over the
bed! How many of us have found ourselves
scrunched up in a ball in one corner of the bed while the dog (or cat) sprawls
out in the middle.
We have
pet stores and boutiques:
Sixty years ago (or less) if you asked somebody where you could
find a pet store, they would have probably pointed you to the nearest grocery,
hardware store or feed mill. And if you
asked them about a pet boutique?.........well, one can imagine the looks,
laughs and smirks you would have gotten.
Today, you would be hard pressed to NOT find a pet store or
boutique in any town small or large.
These stores carry everything you can imagine for your pet. Might I mention, sometimes, at a pretty
impressive price. But we buy that $8.00
cat toy, $10.00 ball or $25.00 Packer jersey for them, because well, it is
worth it.
We have
daycare:
Sixty years ago (or less) if you happened to mention at the office
that you had to go and pick your dog up at the daycare center, you can be quite
certain that the "white coats" would have been waiting for you at the
door when you got back.
Today, doggy daycare is just as common as child daycare. We want our pets to be entertained and well
exercised and taken care of while we are at work. Might I mention, sometimes,
doggy daycare can come at a pretty impressive price. But we pay it, because well, it is worth it
to know that we don't have to worry about our pets when we are gone during the
day.
We have
access to high quality veterinary care:
Not to say that veterinarians didn't give quality care 60 years
ago (or less), but just like in the human medical world, new practices and
treatments have given us the opportunity to extend the lives of our pets and
help them live much longer, happier and healthier lives.
Today we have veterinary clinics and 24 hour emergency
hospitals, equipped with the best and most up to date medical equipment, as
well as veterinarians who specialize in all different areas of veterinary
medicine. Primary care veterinarians who
may not have some of this equipment or specialty care have the opportunity to
refer their clients to the specialists instead of saying I'm sorry, we have
tried everything but there is nothing more we can do. Might I mention that access to this higher
quality of care sometimes comes at a pretty impressive price. But we pay it, because well, it is worth it.
Better
options for end of life care:
Sixty years ago (or less) when a pet reached the end of his or
her life, it was most often handled the Old Yeller way. In fact it seems it was almost a "rite
of passage" of pet ownership to end your pet's life this way.
Today, the choice to euthanize a pet is made with much thought
and consideration to not only the comfort of the pet, but the comfort of the
family. Often times special accommodations are made for all hours of the day
and night because we don't want our pets to suffer. It is often done in the comfort of the home
or special comfort room at a veterinary clinic or it may take place at the 24
hour emergency care hospital. It may also take place while the pet is in the
care of a pet hospice. After the
euthanizing, your veterinarian or after care provider may do some special
things for you like make an ink or clay paw print and send you a sympathy
card. They most likely follow up with
you a few weeks later to see how you are doing. Might I mention, you may think that this
quality of end of life care, may come at a pretty impressive price. But truthfully, it does not.
We have
professional pet death care services:
Sixty years ago (or less) there was no such thing as
professional pet death care. Your pet
died either on its own, or like Old Yeller and burial was in your backyard or
on the farm.
Today we have professional pet death care services such as
cremation and memorial tribute centers and dedicated pet cemeteries. We have visitations and funeral or memorial
services for our pets. If we have them
cremated, we put them in an urn and take them home. We might put some of their cremated remains
in a necklace or other keepsake, so we can have them with us always. We
memorialize them. Might I mention, you
may think some of these services come at a pretty impressive price. But truthfully, they do not.
If I've managed to keep your attention throughout this rather long blog, you may have noticed how I used key sentences and wording at the beginning and end of each paragraph. Let me assure you... there is a method to my madness. Sixty years ago (or less) we didn't have to spend a lot of money on our pets, nor did we have the options and level of care we do for them today. For most of us, our pets had different purposes. Dog's hunted, protected and managed the herd. The job of a cat was to catch the mice. Today the dogs still hunt, protect and herd, and the cats still catch mice, but regardless, they are part of the family and we treat them as such.
Throughout a pets life today, we may spend literally thousands of dollars on them whether it be at the pet stores or boutiques or training or daycare, grooming or for preventative health, specialty or emergency care. Some of these things may come at a pretty impressive price, but we pay for them because, well, it is worth it.
When a pet comes to the end of his or her life, that worth for
some people, seems to diminish somewhat. The services and care the pet needs to
give them a dignified and peaceful ending, some believe, costs too much. The truth is, when you compare the cost of
caring for a pet throughout their life to the care they need for a peaceful and
meaningful end to their life, the cost doesn't compare at all. The price for a peaceful tranquil, and
comforting ending to a pets life is worth every dollar that you have spent
giving them a happy, healthy and fulfilling life.
Most of you who read this blog already know and understand what
I am trying to convey. So, I am
"Preaching to the choir" as they say.
Maybe you are one who grew up in the times of Old Yeller and have
witnessed the change in the social status of our pets today. You have helped lead that change. Maybe you are of the Marley and Me generation. If so, you never knew any different way. Your dog always slept with you, your cat
always laid on the counter or sat at his favorite perch on the windowsill and
couldn't care less if a mouse ran by. In
writing this blog all I ask of you is this.......continue living and
experiencing that wonderful and priceless human/ animal bond. Continue to take advantage of the opportunities
we have today to give our pets the best care, both during their lives and at the
end of their lives. Because as you know
and have experienced, it is well worth it.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
The Story
The Story
I love listening to a great story. In fact I love listening to any story. When I was practicing as a funeral director one of my favorite things was listening to the family tell the story of the person's life we were going to be celebrating. By listening to their story, I could better put together a funeral service or celebration of life for them that was going to be meaningful. This continues to be one of my favorite things to do at Forrest Run. When we consult with a family about the actual or impending death of their pet it is an extremely difficult and emotional time. When I take a call over the phone, I hear the familiar "hitch" in the person's voice and I know immediately why they are calling. When a family brings a pet in to Forrest Run, it is almost always accompanied by tears. Sometimes the pet had a wonderfully long and fulfilling life. Sometimes the life was cut too short by an unexpected tragedy. Make no mistake, no matter what type of death, it is always difficult.
Over the years I have found that, just like with the death of a person, it helps to talk about the life of the pet and tell their story. I love hearing the story about the first time you saw your pet. Sometimes, it was when the pet took their first breath. Sometimes the pet "found" you. One would think that the stories start to sound the same after you hear so many. Not so. Every story is unique because every pet is unique. They all have silly things that they do that make up their particular personality. Just like a person.
Just like when a person dies, one of the things that gives us the most comfort when our pet dies, is talking about them. Remembering them and telling those silly stories. It doesn't matter that they have been told many times over. It will help. How do I know this? Because this is what we do. That person who called on the phone with the hitching voice? It is our goal to have the hitch in that voice replaced with a smile or sense of comfort and relief by the time we hang up. The family who brought their pet to us with tears welling in their eyes or streaming down their cheeks? It is our goal, by the time they leave to have those tears replaced by a smile or sense of comfort and relief. How do we achieve this goal? We let them tell us their story.
Come join us on Sunday, September 29th at 2PM for our annual pet memorial service, "Honoring Friendship and Loyalty ", held on the grounds of the Fox Valley Humane Association. We would love to hear your pet's story. See the link to the memorial service information below. http://www.forrestrunpettributes.com/honoring-friendship-and-loyalty-pet-memorial-service/
Sunday, June 30, 2013
A Pet is A Pet......is A Pet
A Pet is a Pet....is a Pet
One of the
questions people ask me all the time is "What is the most unusual pet you
have cremated or that you have buried in the cemetery?" The answer is, I don't consider any pet
unusual, however, we do help pet parents memorialize a variety of different
pets. We take care of pets of all kinds
big and small. The largest was a horse
which is buried in the cemetery. While
this was before my time at Forrest Run I am familiar with the story. In fact, I am quite surprised at the amount
of people that ask me about the horse.
The conversation usually starts out, "I heard you have a horse
buried here", to which I answer, "well yes we do" and then I
show them where. The smallest pet we
have ever taken care of was a spider.
Yes, a spider. I often receive
phone calls from well meaning "jokesters", usually friends saying
things like, "I have an elephant that died and I don't know what to do
with him". While I usually am
tipped off by the voice, I always play along with them until I am completely
certain. One night I received a call
from a gentleman asking me if we cremated spiders and he was also interested in
burial. Not recognizing the voice, I listened
closely, and soon figured out that this in fact was not a joke. He had a pet tarantula that had died and
wanted to know what his options were.
After talking to him for some time I learned that he had his tarantula
for about 25 years. He ultimately
decided on cremation and brought him out the next day.
We always
want people to know that we do not discriminate, nor joke about anybody's
pet. A pet, is a pet, is a pet, no
matter what type and we treat everybody and every pet with the same dignity and
care. There are many pets that are
misunderstood, or should I say, the relationship with them is
misunderstood. It is not for anybody to
judge what type of animal is appropriate for pet status.
The grieving process after the death of a pet
is the same whether it be a spider, bird, ferret, rat, guinea pig, hamster,
cat, or dog. Part of the reason the
grieving process is so intense after the death of a pet is because of that
unconditional love and companionship they give to us.
I write this
for the people who have all types of pets, letting them know that we at Forrest
Run understand. I also write this for
people who don't have all types of pets in the hopes that, they may too
understand.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Duke
Duke
I graduated
from High school 25 years ago this June.
It is hard to believe! I am sure
anybody who has come to this milestone in life has had similar emotions. How many times do we hear the phrase,
"time flies"? I can honestly
say, never in a million years would I have guessed I would be the owner of a
Pet Cemetery & Cremation Service 25 years out of high school. I have had many people ask how I got
interested in this profession. The following is that story. I grew up with pets. We always had a dog or two and cats. We were always picking pet hair out of the
butter or some other food item. This
isn't to say we didn't have a clean house, but if you have pets.......you know
what I mean.
After
graduating from high school, my dad told me to get a job or he was taking me
down to the Army recruiters office.
Well, the Army recruiter was not the answer for me! I heard Westgor Funeral Home was looking for
a driver for their hearse and I thought that would be pretty cool (and
easy). I started working at Westgor's on
July 1, 1988, therein starting my 25 year career in the funeral profession. I
started out doing maintenance work, cutting the lawn, washing cars (and yes,
driving the Hearse). One Saturday morning, I was in the funeral home garage
washing one of the cars and Ted Westgor came out and told me that we had a home
death and asked me to go change into my suit.
On the way to the house I asked him (as I always did) who died. He said, "it's Marge Applebee's dog,
Duke." I didn't know what to say, nor
what to expect. We had Marge's husband's
funeral less than a year ago and all she had left as far as family, was her dog
Duke and she thought the world of him. When
we got to the house we went inside just like we always did, to talk to the family
and assess the situation. There was Duke
on the living room floor. The
veterinarian had just been there to take care of the euthanasia. Marge was devastated and Ted comforted her
like he would any other person who had a family member die. I sat back in awe and watched how this scene
unfolded. Ted had put some blankets in
the van before we left and he asked me to go outside and bring them in. After a few more minutes of saying good-by we
wrapped Duke up in the blankets and took him to the van.
Later that
day Marge came in to the funeral home to make arrangements for Duke. A
visitation and service at the funeral home was scheduled for the next day, with
burial at the Neenah Animal Shelter Cemetery immediately following. I remember driving to the local casket
manufacturer in Green Bay to get a white child's casket. When I got there I was met with the somber
looks from the employees as they all thought we were having a funeral for a
child. When I told them the casket was actually
for a dog the somber mood was at first turned into laughter (relief, I'm sure)
but then turned serious as they couldn't believe someone actually was
purchasing a casket for a dog. I
explained that the dog's owner really did treat Duke like a member of the
family and wanted nothing but the best.
The next day
we set Duke up in the chapel and arranged the flowers that were picked out by
Marge and ones that were sent by friends.
Many of Marge's friends came to the visitation and service for Duke and
then drove in the procession out to the Neenah Animal Shelter where Duke was
buried, complete with a concrete burial vault to surround the casket. Throughout this whole process, I was amazed at
what was happening, and being an animal lover, I was sold on the idea.
I was just
18 years old when I had the experience with Marge Applebee and her beloved dog
Duke. But ever since then, I had it in
the back of my mind that "someday", I wanted to help people take care
of their pets when they die. I went to
college and became a licensed funeral director in 1994. I have had a very satisfying career as a
funeral director and my "someday" came a little sooner than I thought
it would when I started working at Forrest Run in 2003, becoming the owner the
following year. I continued to work full
time as a funeral director until 2009 when I decided that Forrest Run needed my
full time attention. My life and career
could have taken many different turns, but I am very happy with how it all
turned out. When I look back, I have one
person to thank, whom I never really have.
That person is Ted Westgor. Had
he decided to not accommodate Marge Applebee's needs as a grieving Pet Parent,
I never would have had that experience, and probably wouldn't be doing what I
enjoy so much today. Thanks Ted, for
taking me along on that ride.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Education
I believe strongly in education. Especially in the world of pet cremation, burial and memorialization. As I've said many times to people, pet cremation is still a relatively new concept. There are many in the Veterinary Profession that remember how things used to be before cremation was an option. This is just one of the topics discussed during the "Lunch and Learn" sessions that we host with Veterinarians and their Support Staff.
At Forrest Run we have a strong connection to
our Veterinary Partners. We believe that
through education and communication we will be able to keep the pet families
informed of all their decisions, as well as put to rest many of the myths and
untruths of pet cremation and memorialization.
Most often it is the Veterinarian, Technician, Receptionist or any
member of the Support Staff that receives the initial contact about a pet that
is nearing the end of life. In addition
to asking questions about the process of euthanasia there are also questions
about options for the pet after death occurs.
So it is important for all of the Veterinary staff to be informed as to
what the options are, as well as be able to explain the differences in those
options. If a family chooses group
cremation for their pet, what happens to the cremated remains? If a family chooses private cremation, how do
they know they are getting their pet back and not somebody else's? What type of identification procedures does
the pet cremation service have in place? Where is the facility located? Can a family tour the facility or be there
when the cremation takes place?
Another topic that we cover during the Lunch and Learn sessions are urn and other merchandise selections that are available. We never expect the Veterinary Providers to know all of the products we provide, so we have tried to make it as simple as possible by having them refer families to our website www.forrestrun.com . We take advantage of modern technology as often as we can and have recently created a QR code which will be located on all of our brochures and printed material. This will give families immediate access to our website at any time and place with the use of a smart phone.
These are
just a few topics that are currently being discussed at our Lunch and Learn
sessions. Just as in any business today,
we are constantly changing and updating to increase our customer care and
service. We truly value the relationship
we have with our Veterinary Partners and we consider it a vital part of our
responsibility to them and the families they serve to keep them up to date and
informed.
Because we believe so strongly in this education, we provide the Lunch and Learn sessions to any Veterinary Provider even if they don't use Forrest Run exclusively for pet cremation and memorialization. Ask your veterinarian if they have had lunch with Forrest Run. We would love to sit down with them!
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