pet cremation in the news

A sad news story is in the news, so wanted to bring it up in case you hear about it. A pet cremation service up in Pekin, IL (about 3 hours north of here) was not returning the actual pet’s ashes to the people….not sure what actually was in the boxes the people got.
This is every pet owner’s biggest fear. The question I get asked most often when dealing with cremation is “will they actually be MY pet’s ashes?” The short answer is a confident “yes.”
To answer questions you may have:
I use two cremation services. Which one I use for a particular pet depends on where you live, the urn you pick, or the timing of when they can pick up from my house.
Both have been in business for decades, and both have an open door policy. I can come in any time unannounced and check on things. If an owner wants to WATCH their pet be placed into the crematory and receive the ashes on the spot, they can. Private viewings are by appointment, and both companies are very accommodating.
The companies I use are Animal Care Service, based in Festus, MO, and Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville. Both are family owned companies, and I know the owners and their employees/families on a first name basis.
I had a conversation with one of the owners a year ago on this subject, and he said it best. It’s a very simple job, but an important one. Scrimping or cutting corners one single time will bring about the downfall of the entire business. They’ve even had vets “test” them by planting non-burnable items with their personal animals, and they get those items back in the ashes. (No, I am not one of the vets who tested them, but don’t put it past me!)
I have used these companies for my own pets and I trust them.
And it just doesn’t make sense to ruin decades of building a reputation and your entire business to save a couple bucks. They are both proud of their spotless reputations, and I am very happy to use them both!