Aftercare
There are several aftercare options for your companion.
Burial
You may carry out a home burial if you have the capacity to do so. This can take place either at your home or a private home of someone you are close to. We can advise further – please ask.
Individual cremation with our recommended crematorium
We work with Marley Hall Pet Crematorium near Ledbury who continue the deepest level of care and respect for your loved ones into their aftercare.
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If you prefer, you can take your companion to Marley Hall Pet Crematorium yourself where a private room is offered for you to say your last goodbye; this can assist with processing of grief. Some clients feel this is supportive and something they want to do themselves. In this case, please contact Marley Hall directly on 07415077399 or follow the link below.
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Most of our clients prefer for us to take care of the transportation of their pets at the end of our appointment and we can gladly support you with this and will transfer them to the gentle care of family-run Marley Hall Pet Crematorium. When we transport pets, they are only ever wrapped in blankets and handled super-gently and respectfully by myself and by Marley Hall.
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With regards to being reunited, ashes are presented as standard in a biodegradable scatter tube (but options such as urns and caskets can be discussed directly with Marley Hall) and are available for you to collect from the crematorium near Ledbury, from the next working day. If you need ashes to be delivered to you then please let us know so we can discuss further.
Marley Hall Pet Crematorium
An introduction from Harry and Angharad:
"Marley Hall Pet Crematorium was founded by us, Harry and Angharad
Whittal. We are a small pet crematorium located in the beautiful
Herefordshire countryside just outside Ledbury, with magnificent views
of the Malvern Hills.
We have always had pets of various shapes and sizes and know first-hand
the joy they bring to our lives. As animal lovers, we wanted to provide
a very special service for cherished and adored pets.
We offer a very compassionate and private cremation. Your pet is treated
as an individual and looked after with the utmost care and respect. We
are a dedicated and compassionate couple, understanding that this is a
sensitive time for you and your family. Please be assured that at Marley
Hall, every pet is always handled with the greatest dignity.
It’s important to us that your loyal companion gets a fitting send-off
to celebrate a special life. With this in mind, we like to offer as many
choices as possible.
Routine cremation
If you do not wish to receive your pet's ashes back, then we can take care of transportation and routine cremation for you. In almost all cases your pet will still be transported to our chosen crematorium and cremated individually with an incredible level of integrity and respect, however the ashes will not be available to be reunited with you. There may be the odd occasion where we organise routine cremation through your primary vet practice. You can also contact your vet directly and ask them to take care of this aspect for you.
Cremation with an alternative cremation service
You may, of course, also arrange cremation with an alternative service. Crematoriums, more often than not, enable you to take your pet to them and/or offer a collection service. They mostly offer a choice of private or communal cremation.
Tributes and Memorials
You can speak with crematoria about getting a bespoke presentation for your pet's ashes and there are a wide range of options. You can get more information about what they offer on their webpages or by contacting the crematoria and discussing directly to find what you would like. You can also get ashes back "to scatter" and if you want to you can source your own lovely keepsake online – one that feels right for you. And I have in the past had some jewellery made by a company called 'Precious by Kerry' which I can recommend. She can work with some of the ashes and produce beautiful jewellery.
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Most crematoria also will do a paw print for you. And some people like to take a cutting of hair from their pet as well, and we can provide you with a little glass bottle to keep this in.
We realise this is a difficult time for you and want you to have the choice to say goodbye the most supportive way, so please let us know what your preferred options are and we will help you in whichever way we can.