At Natura Nova they are always looking for ways to make the farewell to a pet even more personal and dignified. That is why the range has now been expanded to include coffins in which pets can be cremated. Bart van Kerkhof and Jeroen Huijbers of Urns & More entered into a great collaboration for this.

Looking for a solution

“It all started when a customer asked for a box to birth her dog in,” says Bart. “People are increasingly opting for an individual cremation where they accompany their pet all the way to the oven. If no box is used, that is not necessarily very pleasant. I didn't have anything for that in our range and therefore contacted Jeroen who already supplied us with the urns. He didn't have anything in this area either, but he started looking on the internet. There he came across Animal Aftercare that offered cardboard boxes.”

Takeover

Jeroen continues: “The offer was nice, the boxes look nice and are of very good quality.” Jeroen and Bart started talking to the owner of Animal Aftercare and found out that she was considering quitting the company. Jeroen: “She had taken over the company from her father, who had always worked in it with a lot of passion. She felt the passion much less, but the step to give up her father's dream was very big. She carefully asked us if we might be interested in taking over the company. We sat down for a moment and because we really see opportunities and know that we meet a need, we said yes.”

Ask about animal coffins

“Sometimes something comes your way that you have to do,” says Bart. “It was the same with this one. We do it not only for ourselves but for all customers who want a coffin for their pet. This not only concerns our crematorium, but all animal crematoria and veterinary practices that can give the deceased animals that are collected to their owners in a dignified manner. The coffins can also be used for a funeral in your own garden; the material is biodegradable and made from recycled material.”

Supplement to services

For Natura Nova it is a wonderful addition to the services and Urns & More has also included the coffins in its range. “We are still busy expanding the range and hope to be able to supply an XL version in the short term. We now offer three more sizes: S, M and L. If desired, the boxes can be lined on the inside with felt or jute for an even friendlier look. By the way, the boxes are made of cardboard but they really don't look like a cardboard box; the appearance is almost identical to that of a wooden box.”

Service

The delivery times for the cardboard boxes are short, delivery can usually be made within one day. Bart: “We deliver the crates that are ordered in the region ourselves, as far as we are concerned there is no need for a transporter. It is part of the personal service we stand for. We supply pencils with which children can paint the coffins and there are also booklets available that help with grieving. The boxes are ready-made and do not have to be assembled yourself.”

Take a look at www.animalaftercare.nl for an overview of the range.