This crematory specializes in pets

Faithful Friends opened the door to such services in Pasco and has found a niche.

By EBONY WINDOM, Times Correspondent
Published December 10, 2007

ZEPHYRHILLS - Saying goodbye to "Miss Kitty" was tough, says Lori Thompson.

After all, Miss Kitty had lived with her family for nearly two decades.

Wherever this military family moved, Miss Kitty tagged along. Even to Germany.

"She was like a family member," said Thompson, who lives in Tampa now.

So, a few months ago, when Miss Kitty, a grayish Siamese cat, passed away, a backyard burial was not an option, said Thompson, 35.

Instead, Thompson said, she wanted to honor her beloved feline in a special way.

So she turned to Faithful Friends, a funeral home turned pet crematory in Zephyrhills, to cremate the cat. Then, the Thompsons gathered for a fun, memorial service for Miss Kitty.

The notion of cremating a pet seems silly to some people, Thompson said, "But I found it to be very comforting to me."

Now, Miss Kitty's ashes are kept in an urn in Thompson's bedroom. At first, she thought it would be weird having the cat's ashes nearby, she said, but "(we) feel like she's back at home with us."

Pet cremation is a fairly new type of business in Pasco County, according to Rachel Dowling, 32, who manages Faithful Friends. When they opened for business last August, Dowling says they were the first of its kind in the county. Not long after that, another pet cremation business started up in west Pasco, Dowling says.

Dowling's parents have owned several Hodges Funeral Homes for years. Before Faithful Friends came along, locals would show up at Hodges to ask about pet cremation. But a state law prohibits funeral homes from using their crematorium for both human and pet remains.

So the Hodges family converted its Eighth Street location into Faithful Friends.

The place still looks a lot like a typical funeral home. But with a twist. It's for the four-legged set. Tiny, marble tombstones and various urns are on display. Some urns are simple wooden boxes. Or folks can upgrade to funky, ceramic ones in the shape of a sleeping cat or colorful doghouse.

One woman, whose tiny Chihuahua had passed away, showed up at Faithful Friends with her minister in tow. She wanted him to say a special prayer for her precious Gizmo, whose furry body lay on display in what they call the Farewell Room.

Gizmo's owner was crying.

"(Losing a pet) is a very emotional time for a lot of people," said Carolyn Hodges, who, along with her husband, owns Faithful Friends.

Both Dowling and Hodges say their love of animals sparked their interest in the pet cremation business.

Dowling left her job teaching high school math to manage Faithful Friends. She says she enjoys her new gig and doesn't mind the late-night calls from pet owners whose dogs and cats have suddenly died. The staff has to pretty much be available 24/7. It's the nature of the business, Dowling says.

The business offers pickups, too. Although on rare occasions, "(clients) come to the door with (their deceased pets) in their arms," said Carolyn Hodges.

At Faithful Friends, the bulk of the business comes from local veterinarians who drop off animals, mostly cats and dogs, that have been put down. But the folks at Faithful Friends also have seen their share of unusual animals. There have been a few goats, and a calf was cremated there once. Someone recently dropped off a tiny turtle.

And then there was the guinea pig.

"I thought that was kind of odd," said Dowling.

At Faithful Friends, clients can expect to shell out $100 to $200 for their pet's cremation.

Clients such as Lori Thompson say that's a small price to pay to give their animals a proper goodbye.

"Most people think of their pets as their extended family," said Hodges, who has two dogs of her own. "So you want to see them receive the same respect as anyone else in your family."

Fast Facts:

To learn more

Faithful Friends is a funeral home turned pet crematory at 5221 Eighth St. in Zephyrhills. For information, call (813) 788-3065.

[Last modified December 9, 2007, 21:06:59]