This special day was established by the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Cremoratories (IAOPCC).  Although this is not an “officially” recognized holiday — it gives us pet lovers a special day to remember our pets.   This holiday is celebrated the 2nd Sunday in September…this year ironically it came on 9/11 — the day our nation mourns and remembers our friends, family, and nation that suffered so much that tragic day.  Let us remember not only all these people lost but the service dogs that helped in 9/11.

Check out this amazing story…Many of you may remember it. Roselle passed away June 26th of this year.  Rest in peace Roselle.

The story of Michael Hingson and Roselle

The video

Love and Peace- Hugs and Woofs

And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager

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Although we are not an emergency service, we will do all we can to accommodate you and your beloved companion in your time of need.  We can also work with your veterinarian in order to provide a peaceful and dignified passing and transportation to our facilities.

Equine Services – Check out our website

Eden Memorial Pet Care – Equine Services Video

Have a wonderful and enjoyable week. Thanks for tuning in…

And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager

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You can get more information from the Equine Center’s website.

Come visit us, Eden Memorial Pet Care, at our booth. We will be there among many other vendors and educational speakers.

Have a wonderful and enjoyable week. Thanks for tuning in…

And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager

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I just wanted to share this wonderful story with you all.  I feel so fortunate to work with such amazing people.  My staff is a wonderful team of individuals ranging from wildlife rescue volunteers, retired CHP officers, and local business men (/ex Cowboys).  ;o)  I’m so proud of the staff, who I have the opportunity to learn from and enjoy working with daily.  These are the people who help you and your pet in their aftercare services; and the people that are handling your pet as if they are their own.

My right hand gal, Laurie Abshire, is our Facility Manager in Paso Robles.  She also moonlights as a volunteer for the Pacific Wildlife Foundation.  Recently, she had a uplifting and heartwarming experience and I couldn’t resist but share it with you all.  You can read her article below.  Or view the whole Newsletter here and open the 2010 Pacific Wildlife Care Newsletter (page 3).

Have a wonderful and enjoyable week. Thanks for tuning in…

And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager
Eden Memorial Pet Care

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Maybe it’s because they are moving to an apartment where they can’t have pets, or maybe far away and can’t travel with their pets, or maybe it’s just the cost of having a pet…No matter what it is, it’s happening.

What can you do?

I’m calling to action to everyone out there reading…adopt or foster…whatever you can do.

If you don’t have the funds or means to bring a new pet into your home by adopting one at your local shelter, then maybe there is an option of fostering a pet for some time.  If we can get just a few pets out of the shelters, then this frees up cages to receive more and that means less beloved pets euthanized due to overfull shelters.

If you are in the San Luis Obispo County area check out TLC 4 Animals.  This site can direct you to direct links to local adoption agencies and local cuties that are ready for adoption.  And of of course you can go directly to the Woods Humane Society Site.  If you are in the Bakersfield area check out the local SPCA shelter for adoption or donations.  And for the Visalia area, Valley Oak SPCA is your local SPCA shelter.   There are many more out there…the best thing to do is just use your preferred search engine for “pet adoptions” and “your local town”.

And yes of course, I adopted just a year ago an “older kitty” for my two kids.  We welcomed Tiger into our family and our hearts.  He is a 7 year old “apricot” orange tabby.  His mommy was forced to give him up due to her living situation and so we adopted him from our local shelter up here in the East Bay. He is one happy boy with his two loving kids watching over him!

Whatever you can could be the difference of one pet friend life!

Have a wonderful and enjoyable week. Thanks for tuning in…

And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager
Eden Memorial Pet Care

Says Tiger, "My new family."

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In the death industry of people and pets, aftercare is the follow-up care provided after a death of a loved one and/or pet.  The arrangements of burial/cremation, grief support, memorial products, etc.  All of these factors are considered aftercare and aftercare services.  Ten years ago, aftercare was widely used in the human death industry…but not so much in the pet industry.  But boy have times changed.  Now people are not only making their own aftercare arrangements but are making them for their beloved pets.

I would say that just 5 years ago, I would receive one call every 6 months regarding Pet Aftercare.  The main questions asked were:  My dog is ok now, but I’m trying to make a decision on whether to cremate him or bury him…what are my options in cremation?  Does my veterinarian take care of this or do I have to bring my pet to you?  How do I know this is my pet when I get the urn/cremains back?   Now those calls are weekly!  No joke!  We get calls for people making aftercare plans for their pet 1 year to months in advance.  We also have people calling the day of or the day after.

If I have one piece of advice, it would be…it is important to plan.  It’s hard to think about…but it’s important to plan.  In grief, you will go through different stages all at different times.  You may change your mind in services, urns, etc.  These are difficult decisions and decisions you don’t want to have to make in a moments notice.  Now you don’t have to go call your local crematorium or pet cemetery today…but start thinking about it.  Research and ask questions.  If you don’t like the answers your veterinarian gives you regarding the aftercare/afterlife services they provide…then find one you do.  Here are some topics to think about:

• Would I prefer my pet to be buried or cremated?
• Burial?  Am I allowed to in my county?  Is there a pet cemetery close by?  What do they offer in aftercare services?
• Cremation?  Do I want the cremains returned to me in an urn?  Or would I like him/her spread somewhere special?
• Who are my local pet crematories and does my veterinarian work with the one I feel most comfortable with?
• With cremation…am I ok with a communal cremation–where my pet would be cremated with other pets and I would not receive cremains back?
• Or would I prefer a private cremation?  What does that entail?  Are there different types of private cremations offered at my local crematorium?
• If I want my pet’s cremains back….do I want an urn or maybe a different type of memorial?

A lot ….I know.  But know this…you aren’t alone and find and talk to people who can relate and ask a lot of questions.  It’s ok.  And lastly, don’t let people tell you, “It’s a pet…get over it.”  That is by far the worst thing anyone can say to you.  Pets are special to us in so many ways and our members of our family.  You want the best for them in life..so why not the best for them in afterlife.

Have a wonderful and enjoyable week. Thanks for tuning in…

And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager
Eden Memorial Pet Care

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I’m so excited to be back on the “blogging circuit”.  Thanks to HAR Marketing, we have moved our blog over to a new user friendly service that really allows me to write about so many topics.  I’m really happy to be able to provide this service to not only our clients but to all pet lovers.  We are truly the informational society.  We are constantly connected and always searching for new information on topics that are important to us.

I have been thinking a lot about this…Five years ago, when I told people what I do and what Eden Memorial Pet Care is all about, I would get one of two reactions.  One, a cringe and a comment like, “Oh…how depressing”.  Or two, a sigh of relief and a comment like, “Oh…wow that is such a needed service, thank you for doing that.”  Now fast forward to today.  The likely hood of me getting reaction “number one” is so far between.  What does that mean?  It means that the industry has changed.  People want the best for their pet in life and also in aftercare.  Aftercare services which include: pet cremation, memorial products, and grief support are now a very sought after topic.  We are out there on the internet searching for options of what to do with our pet when they pass.  We are making aftercare plans, as we would with our own death or death of a family member.  And with the internet and informational overload out there, we are able to research and ask questions.    It’s no longer this “unspoken” topic.

What do I do when my pet passes?  What is the best option for me?  Why am I grieving so hard?  All of these are of equal importance and all questions I will address in our Eden Memorial Blog.   But as well…skies the limit on our new blog site!  I want to hear from you!  What do you want to talk about?  I will also provide information on pet care and interesting links to local services, fun items, and uplifting (hopefully inspiring) issues.

Thank you for tuning in and I’m excited to get started!

Have a wonderful and enjoyable week.  And for more information on the services we offer, cremation questions, and memorial products please visit Eden Memorial Pet Care.

*Christine Johnson

General Manager
Eden Memorial Pet Care

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Now that we have been ready to get going on our horse cremation services…we have been delayed again by our manufacturer. Anyway, I did want to let all of you know that we still plan to open as soon as we are able. Currently we are re-scheduled to start services in June.

Again we are very excited to offer these services to the Central Coast. We all are aware of the ever pressing need for such a service. Thank you for your patience in this process.

I hope all of you are well out there!

-Christine

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My neighbor/friend, Sydney Metrick, recently sent me a press release promoting one of her recent works – Crossing the Bridge: Creating Ceremonies for Grieving and Healing From Life’s Losses. Sydney is also the co-author of The Art of Ritual: Creating and Performing Ceremonies for Growth and Change (with Renee Beck). She holds a doctorate in expressive arts therapy and believes that creative expression is a powerful tool for healing. I was hoping that her book, might help someone out there.

Crossing the Bridge: Creating Ceremonies for Grieving and Healing From Life’s Losses
Author: Sydney Barbara Metrick, PhD
For more information contact: Sydney Metrick 510-223-3882
symetrick@sbcglobal.net

I truly believe that when we are going through a hard time or given bad news, reading can be so therapeutic. I know when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, our whole family jumped on the internet and researched probably every article and book written on the subject. She has been healthy now for 5 years, but looking back on it I’m reminded that feeding your mind with information and reading what others go through help you feel just a bit better.

For further information on grief support, please visit our website at:
Pet Grief Resources

Pet Loss Help

-Christine

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Today is a gorgeous day but HOT HOT HOT!! I’m the dog owner that takes my “baby”, Aztec, the 100lb lab everywhere I go. When I get my truck keys, Aztec is there waiting for me with those big brown loving eyes. But this time of year, even on a semi-warm coastal day, I leave my buddy at home…no matter how droopy his eyes may get. I just wanted to say, please think twice before you take your dog along with you in a hot car.

On even warm days, it can take less than 10 minutes for the inside temperture of your car to rise to damaging degrees. Even with the windows cracked, this heat could potentially kill and/or seriously injure your best friend. So be careful and just leave your buddy at home, and/or go straight to and from the park.

Here are some other great ways for your pets to stay cool this summer:

1. Substitute sheets for bedding
2. Put a frozen bottle of water, wrapped in a towel, in your pet’s bed.
3. Wait until evening for his/her walk
4. ALWAYS carry water with you
5. Check pavement temperature when walking your dog during the day. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot for your pooches’ paws. There are some nifty “doggie booties” for hot and cold weather online. Check out Ruffwear.

Ruffwear.com

-Stay Cool Everyone! -Christine

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