Two years ago, Peggy Li's 11-year old Golden Retriever Coco started to show signs of ageing. 'It was a gradual decline but for the last six to nine months it got worse and worse. Coco couldn't control his muscles in his feet and couldn't walk,' Li says. 'He started crying and screaming in pain all the time, and eventually he didn't recognise who we were.'
During Coco's physical decline Li started preparing for the inevitable. She visited numerous pet funeral and cremation parlours to find out the services they offered. In the end, she didn't choose any of the companies she visited, and instead decided to open her own pet funeral business, Hong Kong Pet Memorial (HKPM), in Cheung Sha Wan.
Established last December, HKPM caters to a whole range of pets: from birds, turtles, dogs and cats, to hamsters and even chameleons.
As with many specialist funeral companies in Hong Kong, HKPM will pick up the pet's remains from your home or veterinary clinic, then sterilise and freeze the body until it's time for the funeral. Then there is a private cremation that you can witness. Finally, the ashes are placed in an urn and given to the owner.
'For many people it's their companion, friend or relative,' says Li, who also owns six dogs, including a Schnauzer, Poodle and a Chihuahua.
'After it has gone, [the owner] may have regrets about not being as good to it as possible during its life, so having a funeral helps the grieving process. I think it's very important for the owner; hopefully they will let the pet go [emotionally] and feel at peace.'
At HKPM, owners can choose between two viewing rooms to say their last goodbyes. Director Iris Chan says depending on the family size, sometimes there are two people in attendance, while at other times there are nine to 10 people paying their respects during the half-hour memorial service.
