Pet crematorium opens in Castlebar
MAYO Pet Crematorium is a new facility based in Castlebar, providing pet cremation services to veterinary practices and pet-owning members of the public, writes Tom Gillespie.
It is the first facility of its kind in Connaught and currently only the third in the 26 counties.
Mayo Pet Crematorium carries out individual pet cremations, treating the pet's body with the utmost care, respect and dignity at all times.
Niall Curran, a practising vet having qualified in 1991, said: “Our facility is located at Cloonkeen, Castlebar, in a private residence in a rural area surrounded by beautiful, mature, landscaped gardens, just off the N5 connecting Castlebar to Westport.
“Our cremation service is available through our veterinary practice partners in the Connaught region and beyond. Pet owners can arrange with their vet for their pet to be collected from their veterinary practice and have their pet’s remains returned to their veterinary practice for collection at their convenience.
“In addition to providing a service through veterinary practices we also provide a personal, private individual pet cremation service to grieving pet owners, which is available by prior appointment on-site at our facility.”
Niall, who has been based in Castlebar for 17 years, added: “For pet owners who are not in a position to bring their pet’s body to their vet or directly to our facility, we provide, where feasible, a 48-hour collect and return service. We will collect your pet’s body from your house, carry out the cremation and return your pet’s remains to you by the next working day.”
Since 2001, as many veterinary practices in this area do, Niall’s practice has used an existing pet cremation service in the east of the country.
He explained: “While I had every confidence in the company carrying out our clients' pet cremations, it appeared to me that there was one major unavoidable limitation - it took too long.
“I always felt that for many of my grieving clients, the fact that it took several weeks for their pet’s remains to return was an unfortunate feature of the service.
“Four years ago I started to look into setting up an alternative to this service based in Connaught, which could meet a local demand for pet cremation in a way that could be less subject to the limitations of geography.
“Obtaining the necessary planning permissions and certification took a lot longer than anticipated, but has now culminated in the establishment of our cremation facility.
“I feel strongly that as a practising vet I have an insight into the pain and anguish that pet owners go through at the time of the loss of their companions, and the significance that their pet’s remains hold for them.
“I approach the provision of this service with the same care, gravity and attention to detail with which I would approach the planning and execution of a difficult surgery on a client’s pet. I would also hope to bring the experience that I have gained over 15 years of running my own business to bear on the efficiency of this service.”
Niall continued: “As a family, we are proud to operate the crematorium from our home. I feel this makes this service private, personal and intimate in a way that is unique for a service of this kind in Ireland at the present time.
“The process of cremation itself is basically an industrial process. It involves strictly controlled burning in a machine. We feel that the location of the crematorium in a beautiful rural setting helps make the process feel a little less industrial and a little more personal.
“Due to the use of kerosene in the cremation process the operation of the crematorium leaves a carbon footprint. To offset the footprint of the crematorium we pledge to plant a native tree species - bare-root, in winter - for every cremation we carry out in the preceding year. Our gardens already contain hundreds of primarily native tree species, some of which are now 15 to 20 years old.”
Owners can arrange to have their pet cremated with Mayo Pet Crematorium through one of their participating partner veterinary practices in the Connaught region and beyond.
Owners can also choose from a wide range of receptacles for their pet’s remains to be returned in.
Said Niall: “The loss of a pet is never an easy thing to deal with. Whether it comes after years of faithful companionship or whether a pet is prematurely taken from an owner, there are deep and palpable feelings of loss and grief.
“Increasingly following the death of a pet, owners are turning to cremation as a means of honouring the role their pet had in their lives and as a way of marking and memorialising the passing of their beloved companion. If this is a choice you have already made or are thinking about making, and you are looking for a service which will treat you with compassion and understanding and your pet’s remains with care and dignity, then Mayo Pet Crematorium is the service for you.
“In the unfortunate event of an owner losing their beloved pet, in addition to the distress and grief suffered, there is always the unfortunate practical issue of what to do with the animal’s body.
“If they own some land it is still possible to bury their pet’s body on their own property once certain common-sense precautions are taken.
“Increasingly, however, owners are turning to pet cremation as an option. Even if it is still their intention to bury their pet’s remains in their garden, it is much easier and more hygienic to bury a small casket of ashes than the body of a large dog for example.
“It is even easier to scatter their pet’s cremated remains under their favourite tree. Some owners may, on the other hand, prefer to have an ornamental keepsake containing their pet’s remains occupying pride of place on the mantelpiece as a constant reminder of the companionship they shared.”
The Mayo Pet Crematorium is located at Cloonkeen, Castlebar, and can be contacted on (087) 6076638.
* Do you have a story to tell about your business? If so, Tom Gillespie would be delighted to hear from you. Get in touch at (087) 9680780 or gillespietom49@gmail.com.