Japanese Firm Caters To Rising Demand For Cremations Of Small Pets

TSUKUBA (Japan), Sept 8 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- In a country where owners of beloved pets often wish to cremate them to retain their ashes as keepsakes, a company has developed technology capable of handling even the smallest animals, such as ornamental fish.

Progress Co., an Osaka-based company, has created a method for adjusting the intensity of the flames and the strength of the air jet to leave the ashes in optimal condition, with some bones remaining, Kyodo News Agency reported.

In Japan, cremation ceremonies for people typically involve collecting the remaining bone fragments to be kept with the ashes, and there is a growing demand for similar practices in pet cremations.

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Pet owners must request local governments or specialised companies to handle the cremation of their animals, as a law prohibits individuals from burning their own pets after death.

In all, there are some 2,000 companies in the pet funeral business, making it a highly competitive market, according to research firm Fuji Keizai Co.

Progress, which also offers a service sorting through people's belongings after they die, started its pet cremation business in 2020 and now receives about 2,000 requests every month, serving a variety of pets including rare species like spotted garden eels and axolotls.

“My pet was very small but they handled it with great care and I am very grateful,” said Naomi Uchikawa, a 45-year-old woman who used the service for her chameleon.

Yuko Moriyama, the representative director of Progress, said, “Pet cremation is an opportunity to recognise the value of life. We aim to provide an environment where every pet can receive a proper farewell.”

--BERNAMA-KYODO