Nottingham Pet Crematorium

Nottingham Pet Crematorium: individual pet cremations at Antara

Nottingham Pet Crematorium operates from Antara, at Gamston Bridge in West Bridgford, Nottingham. It is run as a family partnership by Rita Harbury-Carlisle, described on the site as a Yorkie breeder, and her husband John. The couple previously ran the Antara Luxurious Dog Hotel and now concentrate on a cremation service the site describes as 25 years old, with chapels of rest and farewell rooms. The premises are presented as newly refurbished and visitors are invited to look around.

The service is positioned as an alternative to leaving a pet with a veterinary practice for disposal. The site states that the crematorium is the only service of its kind in the East Midlands to have been Independently Inspected & Approved by the Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematoria, and that it is a member of that association.

Cremation options and the guarantee of individual ashes

The crematorium states that every cremation is individual: the pet is cremated alone within an enclosed chamber and all ash is carefully collected before the next cremation begins. On that basis it guarantees that the ashes returned are only those of the pet concerned. The site frames this as a response to communal cremation arrangements, in which, as it describes them, a pet left with a vet may be bagged, frozen, collected weekly and taken to a larger disposal company.

Beyond the standard individual cremation, the service list includes:

• Collection service, which the site distinguishes from what most veterinary practices normally offer and which includes the option of using a traditional hearse.
• Bringing a pet to the crematorium directly, aimed at owners who have not used a pet cremation service before or who prefer not to leave the pet elsewhere.
• Attended pet cremation, allowing the owner to be present while the pet is cremated.
• Same-day pet cremation, prioritising the pet so it is cremated as soon as possible.
• A Letter of Wishes.
• Exhumation services.

The Rainbow Room and spaces for reflection

Among the facilities is the Rainbow Room, described as a themed space designed to provide a serene, relaxing environment where owners can talk about their loss and set out their personal requirements for their pet. A news item on the site reports that three areas have been set aside for quiet reflection, recognising that a pet cremation can be an extremely difficult time and that owners may simply need a moment of calm.

Memorials and keepsakes for the ashes

The memorial range covers engraving and a choice of containers for the ashes. Engraving is offered on a variety of plates with the inscription of the client's choice, which can be mounted in different ways. Urns are stocked in a constantly changing supply of unique designs. Ashes can also be returned in a hardwood casket for indoor use, in a coloured hardwood casket, or in rainbow-themed caskets and frames. The range is completed by wall-mountable picture frames with a hidden casket for the ashes.

Who runs the crematorium

The team is identified on the site as Rita and John, the owners, and Simon, the manager. The site states that they are always happy to answer questions and offer advice. Its stated aim is to make the public aware of the options available so that owners are not pushed into a course of action they do not want or misled about the service they receive, and it stresses the importance of asking where a pet's cremation will take place and how it is conducted.

What the site's testimonials describe

The site reproduces testimonials from clients. One describes a first experience of the service after the loss of a cat, mentioning paw prints and fur kept as keepsakes; another refers to a third use of the crematorium and to the funeral area being arranged beautifully even during covid times; a third describes an altar set up for the pet and a service that gave the owner comfort and closure. These are individual accounts reproduced by the business rather than an independent assessment.