Pet Burial Service

Pet Burial Service SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services 12-3-34 "We got the idea when a friend asked to bury his pet on our land. We planted a tree over the pet and as it grew we realized that " people in town would pay for the service," says Ben Larsen, Bowie, Texas, who started Pine Hill Pet Park about a year ago with his wife Debbie. The majority of pets that die or are put to sleep end up in a landfill or at a rendering company. That can cost a lot of money and upsets people who are close to their pets. Pet cemetaries, where owners lease a plot of ground the way they would in a human cemetary, cost more money than most people can justify. For just a $25 fee ($20 for senior citizens), the Larsens will bury a pet on their farm and plant an evergreen over it. They will also send out a death certificate and let pet owners visit the gravesite. "There's a real need for this service. We offer a daily pickup service and most people think our fee is very reasonable," says Debbie, noting that much of their business comes from veterinary clinics. They charge $5 per pet at clinics plus a pickup charge of $20. Vets let their customers choose between the burial service or a rendering plant. If they choose to have their pet buried, the Larsens send the vet customer a death certificate. Pets are buried about 5 ft. apart with a pine seedling planted above each one. About 1,700 animals can be buried per acre. The tree on each grave is offered to the pet owner in 6 or 7 years at a cost of $10 for use as a Christmas tree. No permanent marker is placed on each grave but the Larsens keep a burial chart showing where each pet is buried. Potential income per acre is $42,500 (1,700 pets at $25 apiece) plus $17,000 for the trees when they mature ($10 each). Fees for horses and other large pets are higher. The Larsens buried 340 pets in their first year. Most of their business comes from the nearby Dallas-Ft. Worth area. They've also put together a complete information pack-age for other farmers who might be interested in starting their own burial service. It includes information on legal restrictions (some states and municipalities have regulations on what can be buried and where), advertising and marketing, landscaping, forms and paperwork, and one year free consultation with the Larsens. Their doyourself-package sells for $99. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Pine Hill Pet Park, Rt. 3, Box 450, Bowie, Texas 76230 (ph toll-free 800 442-7387).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.