SAN MARCOS – When her cat Rambo died, Oceanside resident Margie Michalek wasn't sure what to do with his remains.
Michalek loved Rambo and wanted to do right by him even after he died. He was a family pet for more than 15 years, and her 17-year-old daughter had grown up with him.
Michalek decided to have Rambo cremated after her veterinarian assured her that the Friends Forever pet crematory would perform the procedure on Rambo individually and not with other animals. That was important to Michalek because she wanted to keep his – and only his – ashes.
Michalek said Jacquey Stanicek, manager of Friends Forever, made her feel comfortable with her decision.
“She's a real animal person,” Michalek said. “Jacquey was terrific, really.”
Michalek said the price was reasonable and Stanicek brought Rambo's ashes to her the day after he was put to sleep by a veterinarian. It helped to get his ashes back so fast, Michalek said, because then the ordeal was not prolonged.
Friends Forever, located at 120 N. Pacific St. in San Marcos, opened Dec. 7. It is the only local pet crematory and is able to provide a 24-hour turnaround, owner Manuel Villanueva said.
He said other crematories are about an hour away, so they take seven to 10 days to pickup, cremate and return a pet's ashes.
Villanueva of Vista also owns the Oceanside Pet Hotel and Dog Training Center, as well as a boarding facility in San Diego. The animal lover has owned more than 35 dogs since he was 15. He also has been training police dogs for 29 years.
Villanueva said he decided to open Friends Forever because he saw a local need for pet cremation services. He said his other customers would ask him where they should go to have their pets cremated. When he referred them to the nearest facility, they would always ask if there was anywhere closer.
Friends Forever can cremate almost any small animal, including birds, hamsters, goats, rabbits, snakes and dogs. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, but the company offers emergency pickup services after hours and on weekends.
Friends Forever also has a viewing room for pet owners who want to privately say a final farewell.
“We're trying to raise the bar in the pet cremation industry by providing more personal attention to the pet owner,” Villanueva said.
Friends Forever offers three cremation plans and has several urns to choose from. The cost for the entire service – including pickup, cremation and urn – ranges from $50 to $165 depending on the size of the animal and the plan chosen.
Stanicek said the hardest part of her job is seeing a pet owner's grief, but she takes comfort in the fact that the animal is no longer in pain.
“By the time I get to the house, the initial shock is over, but still they are just raw,” she said.
“I give them a hug if I know it's going to ease their grief.”
Angela Holman: (760) 752-6750;
angela.holman@tlnews.net
