The Hartlepool business which could expand to handle pet exhumations and cremations

Darren Bates is considering the expansion at his business called Roxy’s Rainbow, which is based in Greatham Street, Hartlepool.

It would cater for clients who are considering moving to a new home, or who are pondering extending their houses.

In both scenarios, it would help owners who can’t bear to leave the departed animals they cherished behind or underneath the new extension.

The service would also cater for changing trends as people used to bury their pets in gardens decades ago. However, many may now want them exhumed to pay more of a tribute to them, said Darren.

He added: “It’s a route we may look to go down because now people are wanting to move or build extensions and can’t bring themselves to leave their pets or build over them.”

Roxy’s Rainbow pet cremation services was started up in memory of Darren’s Labrador Roxy who died from a tumour on January 31, 2020.

Darren is a former joiner who has put everything into the new venture. He has done the appropriate training on using the cremation machine which he has invested in, and has the permissions in place to run the first ever business of its kind in Hartlepool.

Roxy’s Rainbow’s services include a compassionate way for people to remember their pets.

There is a farewell room where people can say goodbye and the Roxy’s team can have professionally prepared ashes in their possession within a day.

The booming business may only have started three months ago in Hartlepool but it has already had clientele from Ponteland to Middlesbrough.

Pets ranging from rats to giant rabbits, tortoises, parrots, budgerigars, cats and dogs have all been respectfully handled by Darren who said: “The smallest pet can have just as much of an impact on the owner as the biggest.

"We always try to do a remembrance on the animal that we look after and we find that is comforting to the owners.

"We also find that it brings a lot of closure to people if they can have the ashes back instead of having their pet buried in their garden.”

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