Took a weekend roadtrip out of province recently with RiddimRyder and on our way back we made a number of stops in Ontario between the Quebec border and Belleville.
One of the places we knew we wanted to see was a location that Finz519 introduced to us a a few years ago, this very unique pet crematorium.
Located down some forgotten rural road in Ontario, up a short driveway in a field next to an abandoned house.
A small tin roof shack with chimneys, through a door that reads "Employees Only", you are immediately greeted by the sight of a large metal oven, with a large heavy door. To the left, a white bx full of urns, wooden boxes for ashes and porcelain urns.
Move beyond the oven and you will find the schedule for a whole years worth of cremations scheduled every day. Names like Woody, Benji, Bart, Ash, Finnigan and Trigger grace the pages of the day calendar.
In the back, a very old cremation oven and three food processors that were used to pulverize bone fragments into ash.
On the floor, a bucket almost full to the rim with bone fragments, and all over the floor, bits of bones scattered everywhere. We even found a complete rib bone.
For those interested here is a video from the location with an image gallery
For those who aren't interested in the video, here are some photos from inside
Surely one of the most unique and saddest places I have explored. There were a number of small urns with the ashes of pets in them that were never claimed.
Location: Kitchener, Ontario Gender: Female Total Likes: 631 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 4 on 7/27/2017 8:48 PM > | Reply with Quote
This is depressing as hell, considering they charge upwards of $200 PER PET to be cremated, I wonder how such a profitable business would be abandoned.
Location: Burlington Ontario Gender: Male Total Likes: 1879 likes
Freaktography
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 5 on 7/27/2017 9:02 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Skye_Ann This is depressing as hell, considering they charge upwards of $200 PER PET to be cremated, I wonder how such a profitable business would be abandoned.
No doubt, that back room was terrible to be in, walking all over little bits of bones that were all over the floor. That full bucket of bones was terrible.
Location: Ontario, Canada Gender: Male Total Likes: 1005 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 8 on 7/28/2017 3:16 AM > | Reply with Quote
The dramatic placement of that rib bone to close out the set is like a sharp pain piercing my heart, but I still want to make a distasteful joke about the irony of what happened to Ash.
Jokes aside, the portrait of Saint Frances of Assisi overlooking all the work is a telling sign that the owner here probably really did care about what they were doing and had a genuine connection to the animals.
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 9 on 7/28/2017 3:51 AM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Ground State
The dramatic placement of that rib bone to close out the set is like a sharp pain piercing my heart, but I still want to make a distasteful joke about the irony of what happened to Ash.
Jokes aside, the portrait of Saint Frances of Assisi overlooking all the work is a telling sign that the owner here probably really did care about what they were doing and had a genuine connection to the animals.
Interesting. He was Catholic. A good observation.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
Location: SouthEast, Texas Gender: Female Total Likes: 2046 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 10 on 7/28/2017 4:29 AM > | Reply with Quote
Im not a big Video fan, but every once in awhile i decide to click on one to see if someone can grab my attention. I was pulled in by the barking and then the slow, solemn music. Shame on you for the barking! lol...but, the music was really the right choice. Have to give you kudos on the video and the photos. Very sad but interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes. All the food processors for grinding up bone....i can imagine how depressing it would be to have to do that job.
A place of Mystery is Always worth a curiosity trip!
Location: Burlington Ontario Gender: Male Total Likes: 1879 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 11 on 7/28/2017 12:51 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Ground State
The dramatic placement of that rib bone to close out the set is like a sharp pain piercing my heart, but I still want to make a distasteful joke about the irony of what happened to Ash.
Jokes aside, the portrait of Saint Frances of Assisi overlooking all the work is a telling sign that the owner here probably really did care about what they were doing and had a genuine connection to the animals.
lololol I almost spit out my coffee at that line about "Ash" Thanks for the insight on the portrait.
Post by MisUnderstood! Im not a big Video fan, but every once in awhile i decide to click on one to see if someone can grab my attention. I was pulled in by the barking and then the slow, solemn music. Shame on you for the barking! lol...but, the music was really the right choice. Have to give you kudos on the video and the photos. Very sad but interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes. All the food processors for grinding up bone....i can imagine how depressing it would be to have to do that job.
hahaha I didn't get as much grief for the cute puppy and the barking as I had thought I would...I just had to offset the sad with some dark humour!
I really appreciate the time you took to watch and to let me know your thoughts.
Location: Ontario, Canada Gender: Male Total Likes: 1005 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 14 on 7/28/2017 3:52 PM > | Reply with Quote
I never thought of this before, but I'm guessing that they only present the family with the actual ashes. I always figured my pets would be completely cremated, but we're not talking about industrial strength human-capable furnaces in these places. Behind the scenes, it must be common practice that the bones have to be removed and disposed of in a way that the family is none the wiser.
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 15 on 7/28/2017 4:35 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Ground State
I never thought of this before, but I'm guessing that they only present the family with the actual ashes. I always figured my pets would be completely cremated, but we're not talking about industrial strength human-capable furnaces in these places. Behind the scenes, it must be common practice that the bones have to be removed and disposed of in a way that the family is none the wiser.
Even in human creations there are bones left I believe. They grind those fragments up and place with the ashes. Artificial joints are buried in a mass "grave".
One reason for the buckets of bones maybe animals cremated for sanitary or disposal reasons; the owners simply didn't want them.
Location: Huntsville, Ontario Gender: Male Total Likes: 6 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 16 on 7/31/2017 7:43 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Ground State
I never thought of this before, but I'm guessing that they only present the family with the actual ashes. I always figured my pets would be completely cremated, but we're not talking about industrial strength human-capable furnaces in these places. Behind the scenes, it must be common practice that the bones have to be removed and disposed of in a way that the family is none the wiser.
No different then human cremation sites. I've had the pleasure of working on both types (human and animal) and they are very similar.
edit: changed creation to cremation, duh autocorrect moment!
Location: Huntsville, Ontario Gender: Male Total Likes: 6 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 17 on 7/31/2017 7:47 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by blackhawk
One reason for the buckets of bones maybe animals cremated for sanitary or disposal reasons; the owners simply didn't want them.
Correct,
Not all owners want their pets ashes returned, I recently had my canine friend cremated and I did not want her ashes back again.
Also, many pet cremators also do road kill cremations for the various towns / cities for a contracted price. When they run road kill or run non-return pets they are placed in the cremator until it is completely full and run for a long cycle. That leaves a lot of larger bones and joints not completely burned.
When running pets to be returned to the owners as ash (also known as 'specials') then only a small number of animals can be run per cycle. Those animals are placed with metal tags so that each pile of ash and bone fragments can be collected individually and identified accurately.
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Location: Huntsville, Ontario Gender: Male Total Likes: 6 likes
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Re: The Pet Crematorium < Reply # 18 on 7/31/2017 7:51 PM > | Reply with Quote
Posted by Skye_Ann This is depressing as hell, considering they charge upwards of $200 PER PET to be cremated, I wonder how such a profitable business would be abandoned.
Not a very profitable business....
-Shipping cost per pet to go from vet to crematorium -Shipping cost to return ashes to vet from crematorium -Fuel cost to operate cremator -Electricity cost to store bodies prior to cremation -Office Expenses -Employee Expenses -Property taxes -Annual service to burner, refractory, electronics -Annual insurance and compliance inspections -Annual insurance premiums
I've worked with many pet cremators over the years in my industry (industrial gas fitting) and NONE of them have been very profitable.
You can't be lost if you don't care where you are!