Thistledown Pet Memorial is unique, and we have been told, is unlike any other pet-related facility located in Canada...
“Many people find the death of a family pet as painful as mourning the loss of a person. This was the situation in 1996 when we, Nancy and Colin Graham, lost our own dog Beau, to bone cancer. Unable to find any pet loss support resources in our area, we decided to create something that would help other pet owners in the same situation. As a result of this adversity, Thistledown was born.”
Established in 1998, Thistledown Pet Memorial is located on fifty acres of the Oak Ridges Moraine, just south of the town of Uxbridge. Thistledown was created to help pet owners prepare for and cope with the loss of a pet through illness, accident or euthanasia.
The objective of Thistledown Pet Memorial is to help ensure pet owners and their pets are treated with dignity and respect when that fateful day arrives and the pet passes on.
The Goal of Thistledown:
The primary goal of Thistledown Pet Memorial is to make pet owners aware of the resources available at Thistledown and elsewhere that have been established to help them prepare for and cope with the passing of their pet.
We have a state-of-the-art on-site pet crematorium at Thistledown and because of our small size we are able to provide the personalized pet cremation service desired by many pet owners. By having an on-site pet crematorium, we are able to meet the specific needs of those pet owners:
who have concerns regarding the handling of theirs pet’s remains;
who have concerns regarding the integrity of their pet’s ashes;
who wish to be personally involved in their pet’s after-care; and
who wish to have their pet’s ashes returned to them as quickly as possible.Pets come in all colours, shapes and sizes: dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds, iguanas, rats, snakes, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. No matter how large or how small, our pets provide a unique form of companionship and support. For many, pets are an important part of the family; never questioning, always there during our times of need with a gentle paw or a nudge of encouragement. Unfortunately, their lives are too short compared to our own, and this reality breaks our hearts all too often...
At Thistledown we do not accept any animal remains for burial; we deal strictly with pet cremation. We encourage pet owners to contact us prior to the loss of their pet to help educate themselves regarding:
after-care options available to them at Thistledown Pet Memorial when their pet dies;
some of the advantages and disadvantages of each option;
how they might access these options; and
typical costs associated with the various options.
Our prices are competitive and in many cases are lower than those charged by vet clinics and other providers who use a third party pet crematorium.
At present, we have four indoor niche walls open for the placement of pet cremation urns and an outdoor niche building for additional urn placements. We also have areas for urn burials and scattering gardens for those who desire this option. For those pet owners who have buried a pet in the past and who may be moving, we also offer a pet exhumation/cremation service.
On numerous occasions, we have had pet owners referred to us by clinics to assist in arranging for pet cremations. Such referrals generally have occurred in situations where the normal cremation process offered by the clinic, for whatever reason, was not adequate to meet the needs of the client. When we receive such a referral we can pick up the pet’s remains at the clinic, meet the pet owner at his/her residence if the euthanasia has been performed in the pet’s home environment, or have the owner bring their pet’s remains to Thistledown.
For pet owners who require some assistance in coping with the grief associated with their loss, we can offer some telephone support and can direct them to our selection of books and articles written specifically about pet loss. For those pet owners who have exceptional needs in dealing with the loss, we can provide the names of individual grief therapists and support groups who may be able to help them through the grieving process. In short, we are there to hold a hand when needed, are non-judgmental, are sensitive, and are empathetic to the pet owner's needs.
The grief suffered as a result of the death of a pet is very real. Thistledown is not only a pet funeral home, but also a resource centre for pet owners and their animal companions. We provide support as well as an affordable means of achieving closure following the death of a beloved animal. Our hope is that Thistledown will help ease the pain following the death of your special animal friend.
If you wish to honour your pet’s memory and if you want to start the healing process after the loss of your pet, we suggest you contact us to discuss your needs and to learn how we might be able to help you through this difficult time.
At Thistledown, personal service is our strength.
Contact Us:
Regular Office Hours: Tuesday through Saturday (10:00am-4:30pm)
Extended Office Hours: Sunday, Monday and evening visits or cremations by appointment.
Telephone: 905-852-5648 (We can be reached seven days a week. Please leave a message if we don’t pick up immediately and we will get back to you as quickly as possible).
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://thistledown.info
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thistledownpetmemorial
