Creative Junction Magazine June 16th 2017 | Page 15

CREATIVE JUNCTION
PAGE 13
18 years,
still going
strong
ECONOMY
PIPPA BOURKE- EDITOR
A Whangarei couple with a niche
market are still going strong after 18
years in the pet cremation industry.
Stephanie and Terry Grant operate
Stardust Pet Crematory from their
Parua Bay property, with the actual
cremator located on Commerce
Street in Whangarei.
The couple say they originally
started the business as a joke after
their dogs kept digging up their
daughter’s pet budgies.
“There was nothing else like it in
Northland,” says Stephanie. “It’s just
a much nicer way to say goodbye
to a pet who has been part of your
family for so long.”
The $100,000 ‘joke’ was a large in-
vestment for the couple, who say it
has paid off in the long term.
As far as Stephanie is aware, they
are still the only provider for pet
cremation in Northland.
“We have people drive down from
as far as Kaitaia to say goodbye
properly.”
She says the difference with their
business as opposed to larger
city-based ones is that Stephanie is
also qualified to counsel grieving
owners.
“We get as involved in the process
as the owner needs us to be,” says
Stephanie. “It’s heart breaking to
have to farewell a member of the
family.”
Over the years, Stephanie has sup-
ported Terry by obtaining a number
of qualifications to help the busi-
ness- everything from counselling
qualifications to hazardous goods
certificates.
As part of the service, Stardust Pet
Crematory also supply wooden ‘cas-
kets’ with an engraved plaque.
The couple say that over the past
18 years they have not done any
promotion or marketing.
“People will take a pet into the vet’s
and it’s euthanised before being
taken away to us for cremation. But
if someone’s pet dies at home, they
probably need to know that they
can bring it to us,” says Stephanie.
The weight of the pet will deter-
mine the cost of the cremation, but
size is no issue.
For more information: stardust@
xtra.co.nz or phone [phone] or
027 496 0462.