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Saying goodbye: Local pet crematories, cemeteries offer proper send-off for beloved pets

Local pet crematories, cemeteries offer proper send-off for beloved pets

By Colette Costlow 6 min read

They've been a constant companion, a confidant and walking buddy, a bed hog, best friend and a comfort during life's storms, but when it comes time to say goodbye, many people don't know where to turn to give their beloved pet a proper send-off.

In a fashion similar to funeral homes, pet crematories and pet cemeteries offer a variety of services to help pet owners through the process of saying goodbye.

At Paws and Claws Pet Crematory, Schellsburg, owners can have the body of their pets cremated and then choose from a variety of urns and memorial keepsakes, including paw print mementos, preserved fur tufts and night lights.

Paws and Claws owner Rusty Styer said pets "mean a lot to their owners, and they want to treat them as such."

Opened in December 2024, Paws and Claws Pet Crematory was supposed to be an additional service to Geisel-Styer Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc. because while Styer believed there was a need for pet services, he didn't think there was enough business for a standalone pet crematory in southwestern Pennsylvania.

He's been proven wrong, as so far this year, Paws and Claws crematory completed more than 330 cremations.

"It's definitely opened my eyes," he said.

The business doesn't draw the line at only cats and dogs, he said, noting that the crematory provided services for chinchillas, pot-belly pigs and even a miniature horse weighing about 300 pounds.

The majority of their cremations are private, but when some owners don't want the ashes returned, the crematory will conduct a communal cremation, and the ashes are scattered or dedicated in a memorial area, Styer said.

Prices range from $155 to more than $300, based on the pets' weight, he said.

Each cremation includes a choice from five different urns, an ink paw print, a preserved fur tuft and grieving cards. Owners can upgrade urns or put ashes into jewelry, too, he said.

Pet obituaries are also available through their website and/or Facebook page.

Pet cremations are more convenient options for owners today, Styer said, especially for those who frequently move houses and/or rent.

"To bury their dog in the backyard under the tree isn't as attractive as a little box with a picture that they can take with them wherever they go," he said.

To keep cremations organized, Styer and his employees use Angel Paw, which is an artificial intelligence cremation tracking platform that alerts owners about each step of the cremation process.

When the vet euthanizes a pet, Paws and Claws Crematory offers burial bags to transport the pet's body. The pet owner can list the requested memorial items, and when crematory employees scan the barcode on the bag, Angel Paw lets pet parents see that the cremation process has started. Crematory employees continue to scan the barcodes attached to each step of the process until the cremation is completed and the owners receive their memorial keepsakes.

"It gives them (owners) a little peace of mind," he said of the step-by-step verification process.

Bedford residents Cindy and Ted Caddy recently used Styer's services to say goodbye to their 25-year-old parrot and their 9.5-year-old rottweiler that passed away two weeks later.

Rather than burying their pets, she and her husband preferred to cremate them because their pets are family members, too, Cindy Caddy said.

Paws and Claws Crematory was excellent, compassionate and efficient, helping them go through the grieving process, she said.

"It's a great service to help relieve the pain that one's going through during this time," she said.

Lynn Benning also used Styer's practice for its easy process when his family lost their 18-year-old cat.

Because his wife, Pam Benning, was very close to their cat, they didn't want to bury him. So they agreed to cremate him instead, which also helped them through the grieving process.

"I think it helped with the fact that you'll always have that part of the animal with you and you can display it," Benning said.

Cremation standard over burials

Chimney Rocks Animal Rest Inc. includes mass, semi-private and private cremations, as well as burials in their cemetery, owner Lori Quarello said.

Since Quarello took over the Hollidaysburg business about three and a half years ago, they've expanded to offer owners a variety of keepsake products such as urns, jewelry items and candles.

They conduct about 300 cremations a month and about eight burials a year, she said.

They've cremated many types of animals, but their weight limit is 250 pounds. Cremation prices vary based on the pet's weight, similar to burial rates, which also depend on the plot size, the casket and the headstone.

Working with many pets and owners in the city, she said they try to make the afterlife care process as comfortable as possible for parents.

"We're compassionate with people and try to make what we do for them as easy as we can ... and help them through it," she said.

Sylvan Veterinary Hospital in Duncansville is one of the pet centers that contracts with Chimney Rocks Animal Rest when a pet patient is nearing the end of their life.

According to President Veterinarian Brad Kissell, a crematory employee can take the pet from their hospital if it aligns with the owners' wishes. It takes about two weeks for owners to receive the ashes back.

Cremation is the standard now, he said, adding that 90% of pet parents prefer ashes instead of burials, especially during winter when it's more difficult to dig a burial plot.

Kissell said many pet owners are appreciative of the cremation process being streamlined and available in the area.

"From where I started to where we are now, the process is much smoother and much more peaceful because there is a certain relief because their animal is no longer suffering," he said.

Care and cremations

In Cambria County, the Ebensburg Animal Hospital offers both veterinary care and in-house cremations for local pet owners.

With an in-house crematory, veterinarian James Tackas said pet owners can receive their pets' ashes relatively quickly, in as little as a few days.

Like local crematories, prices depend on the pet's weight, but they can choose from a variety of different urns and jewelry pieces.

Keepsake mementos help pet owners "feel like they still have the pet with them," he said.

On the veterinary side of aftercare, Tackas noticed the demand for cremations over burials, and if customers choose to bury their pet, they will most likely choose to bury them in their backyard. He said pet cemeteries are few and far between today.

Pet aftercare is ultimately a personal decision, he said, as some customers don't want any ashes back, while others want five clay paw prints.

"It's a very personal decision," he said. "Everyone is different."

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.

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