What if my pet passes after business hours?

We are open 8:00am - 5:00pm Monday through Friday and answer phones 8:00am-12:00noon on Saturdays. Unfortunately, we realize that pets often pass away while we are not open. However, we are still thinking of you and would be honored to help you. So, what do you do when your pet passes away after business hours and you would like to have him or her cremated?

1. Call us at 866-332-3738 and leave us a voice mail with details. We will call you back first thing the next business morning.

2. Now, you have options. The first option is to call your veterinarian or a 24/7 veterinarian office and ask if they will hold your pet for you until Good Shepherd can pick him/her up. Veterinarian Offices are usually more than happy to help you in this way, even if they are not your typical veterinarian.

The second option is to keep your pet at your home. It is best to keep your pet as cold as possible until we can pick him or her up. Many owners often use a cooler, spare refridgerator, or freezer during this time. If it is winter or cooler outside, you can leave your pet there in the meantime. We realize it may feel upsetting to keep your pet cold during this time, but it's actually the most loving way we can care for our furry children until cremation occurs.

3. Fill out the pre-planning form located here on our website to best assure that we can meet your needs.

4. As soon as we return to our office, we will come and pick your pet up for you and care for him or her. If you live near Concord, NC, we do have staff on call on Saturdays if you need us to come pick up your pet from your home or meet us at our office.