For as long as I can remember, we had family pets while I was growing up; cats, dogs, birds, and hamsters.  A house just wouldn't seem like home without them.  As an adult, I looked forward to having a pet of my own, and Joey, a sweet little Shih Tzu-Poodle mix made me a dog mom.  Like many can relate, my world revolved around his needs and I was happy to dote on my little one.  Joey was the best boy ever. 

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Two years after Joey, Lucy was welcomed into our home.  She was 6 months old, painfully thin, and terrified. But Joey was happy to share everything and everyone with Lucy and taught her how to be a dog. Despite all the beautiful years in between, the goodbyes came all too soon and were among the most difficult times I have known. 

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Joey passed on December 27, 2019, after his body could no longer keep up with his spirit. Though it was difficult, we gave Joey the gift of a peaceful passing surrounded by Lucy and the people who loved him.  I had never given any thought to the aftercare - or after-life care and assumed he would be cremated.  I asked when I could expect to receive Joey's remains and was surprised to learn that it would be a week or longer.  That question led to others, and the answers left me wanting something more worthy of the life I mourned.

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When Lucy's health began to fail, I sought other options for her afterlife care. There weren't any at that time.  This set the wheels in motion to find a better way for me to honour Lucy after death and treat her like the family she was.  I figured I wasn't alone, and knew that other pet parents would welcome an option that rose to the standard we hold for family.  

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EVERMORE opened on November 15, 2021.  Lucy was laid to peace at home surrounded by her family on December 24, 2021.  I cared for Lucy in death the way I cared for her in life with love, dignity, and respect.  

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Providing pet families EVERMORE aftercare and memorial services is an honour that I observe in memory of all the pets we called family, especially Joey and Lucy.  EVERMORE has proudly served pet families in Stratford, Kitchener- Waterloo, Cambridge, Orangeville, St. Marys, Seaforth, London, Leamington, Brantford, Fergus, Blyth, Petrolia, Simcoe, Paris, Grand Bend, Dorchester, Norwich, and Guelph (and places in between).  I look forward to providing families dignified and beautiful farewells for years to come knowing that it matters.

 

 The end matters.