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ST. GEORGE — Let's just call it: Pets are full-fledged family members for a lot of people. When these furry friends pass away, their death can be just as painful as saying goodbye to a human.
As a result, companies engaged in pet funeral services have seen an increase in market size. Along with an expanding market comes expanded services designed to honor deceased pets. Read on to learn more about how this industry is growing in southern Utah.
What is accounting for this growth? Russ Atkin, owner and funeral director of Serenity Funeral Home and the Pet Cremation Center of Southern Utah, said it is a combination of increased pet ownership and a trend toward cremation versus burials. That's what prompted Atkin to expand his funeral services to include pets starting in 2022.
"We got a lot of calls asking if we took care of pets," Atkin said. "Pets are an amazingly important part of families."
