Innovative Addition To Award-Winning Crematorium

A pet cremator is set to be installed in Redditch meaning animal lovers can give feathered and four-legged friends the final farewell they deserve.

Last week (March 2) at a meeting of Redditch Borough Council, members agreed for work to go ahead to install the award-winning facility at the Abbey Crematorium.

It will be kept completely separate from human cremations from the equipment used and also from a customer service point of view.

A different entrance has been earmarked for customers of the new facility and meticulous timings will ensure the cremations will not take place at the same time.

Council Leader Sharon Harvey, who is responsible for bereavement services, said: “Our Bereavement Services operates with empathy, care and understanding at its core and is committed to serving the community’s needs with dignity and compassion.

“These principles underpin the expansion into pet cremations, providing a seamless and compassionate offer for residents while being kept completely separate.”

At the meeting the investment of £50,000 for the equipment and installation was agreed along with the prices ranging from £50 to £250 for all creatures great and small including cats, dogs and birds.

Nearly 15 years ago Redditch Borough Council agreed to innovative moves to use waste energy from the crematorium to heat the pool at its nearby Abbey Stadium Leisure Centre, a move which scooped a national award.

The new addition will be a standalone cremator and won’t connected to the heat exchange system at the moment but this may change in the future.

Cllr Harvey added: “Once again we are moving with the times and leaning into a growing market which makes financial sense for the Council and means pet-owners can say goodbye to their loved ones too.”

The pet cremation service is expected to be up and running this Autumn.