0:00:02 > 0:00:04Small farms and rural businesses are in crisis.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06We've put our life savings into what we're doing.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10A tough economic climate and depressed agricultural markets
0:00:10 > 0:00:12are bringing the countryside to its knees.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15If we get a very bad year, we'll just have to go bankrupt.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18'I'm Nick Hewer, and I'm returning to my Northern Irish roots...'
0:00:18 > 0:00:20It's my country. What are you doing here?
0:00:20 > 0:00:23I'm from Nebraska, I've never heard of Ballyclare.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26'..to help these farms and rural businesses diversify.'
0:00:26 > 0:00:29I'm no farming expert, but I do know
0:00:29 > 0:00:31what it takes for a farming business to survive
0:00:31 > 0:00:33in these tough economic times.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36You deal with the horse,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38shoot the horse yourself.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Every time I come to Northern Ireland, I put on a stone.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42- Can I offer you a scone? - Can we call you Nick?
0:00:42 > 0:00:46And every now and again, there must be a reality check.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48The Chinese are very good at this sort of thing.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50And that's where I come in.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I'm on my way to meet Ian and Karen at their pet crematorium.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04They're about to splash out £35,000 on a horse incinerator
0:01:04 > 0:01:07but is there really, really a market for that?
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Ian set up the pet crematorium 11 years ago,
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and currently it operates under the family banner, Craigycor.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Have three brothers, Robert, Alan and John,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20and the farm, we let it out to a dairy farmer up the road.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22The crematorium opened in 2000.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25One of Ian's vets asked him about starting a crematorium.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26They said there was a need for it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Ian worked very much for the family kennel business,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31that was always the main business,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33so the crematorium was always a sideline,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35we worked maybe two days a week at the crematorium
0:01:35 > 0:01:36so it was never pushed.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Ian's brother Robert looks after the Craigavon dog pound,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41the kennels, the cattery, the pet shop
0:01:41 > 0:01:44and the grooming parlour all on the same site.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46He's good enough, he would see to customers.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48If a private cremation came in through the yard,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50he'd see to those people if we're not about.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52At the minute, I don't earn a wage. I gave up work.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55So, I mean, eventually, I'd like that I could earn a wage
0:01:55 > 0:01:58and work for the business part-time or full-time, or whatever's needed.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01And with a burgeoning business, a world of wildlife
0:02:01 > 0:02:04and a young toddler, they've got their hands full.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06I'm very, very involved in animal rescue -
0:02:06 > 0:02:09rehomed about 500 dogs and cats and guinea pigs and ferrets
0:02:09 > 0:02:11and rabbits and pigs and whatever else needs it.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13That would be my passion in life.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15I would give everything, Ian will tell you
0:02:15 > 0:02:18I'd give my right arm if it saved an animal's life, I wouldn't mind.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20But the crematorium's important as well
0:02:20 > 0:02:23because I know that I have such a strong bond with my animals
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and when they die it kills me. It's totally and utterly devastating.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28I feel that for other people. There's times people come in
0:02:28 > 0:02:31with their cremations and I cry with them. They cry and I cry too.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34So is this emotional couple strong enough for the business of burning?
0:02:34 > 0:02:37People have horses 20 years plus
0:02:37 > 0:02:40and to see them being taken away in the back of a lorry...
0:02:40 > 0:02:43- The knacker's yard.- ..to the knacker's yard, it isn't nice.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46And can they make animal death, equine or otherwise, profitable?
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Can they turn ash into cash?
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Hello. Karen, how are you?
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- Hi, Nick.- I'm Nick. Ian, how are you?- Nice to meet you.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02- So this is it, Craigycor?- It is.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Many businesses - kennels, cattery,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08grooming, pet shop and your business, which is the crematorium.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09- Yes.- You've got big plans, I hear.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12- Yes.- Big enough to take a horse, is that right?- Yes.- Indeed.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14- Can we go in the warm?- Yes. - I'm freezing.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17'In pursuit of warmth and facts,
0:03:17 > 0:03:21'I enter the Craigycor comfort chamber, the quiet room.'
0:03:21 > 0:03:23What happens if you bring in a pet that has died,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26we meet you in the yard, and we invite you in here to the quiet room
0:03:26 > 0:03:27and spend some time with your pet.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29And how do they find their way to you?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Well, off our website. A lot of it comes word of mouth.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Veterinary practices would recommend us.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38My dog, my beloved Jasmine, is actually about 11,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41so we're beginning to think about death.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45So I go to the vet and say, "This poor old thing is at death's door,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47"I think it's time to put her down." How would he do it?
0:03:47 > 0:03:49A vet would do it through a crematorium as well.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52- Would he?- Yes. - It's not a local government thing?
0:03:52 > 0:03:55No, no. The vets do it through a crematorium as well.
0:03:55 > 0:03:56And basically you have two types,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59you have communal cremation or a private cremation.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00What about the cost?
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We have dogs and cats - that's the volume of business, I guess.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06- Cats, dogs, parrots, rabbits, guinea pigs...- Parrots?
0:04:06 > 0:04:07Parrots. We've cremated lizards.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Lizards? That can't have taken long to incinerate.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11Still takes three-and-a-half hours,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13doesn't matter what size the animal is, yeah.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16And what would you charge, then, for my dog?
0:04:16 > 0:04:18You're talking £65, then, for a basic cremation,
0:04:18 > 0:04:19which is a private cremation.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Depending what way you want the ashes,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24a scatter tube is your cheapest option, they're £5,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and then you can start going for these.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27£70 would be your cheapest option.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Your dearest option would be about £105.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32'So, Jasmine tubed up - £70,
0:04:32 > 0:04:36'popped in a casket - £105. Hmm, bargain.'
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I've always rather thought the Ulsterman was quite stern,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42slightly mean and has a fairly hard heart.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44And yet you've got a thriving business
0:04:44 > 0:04:47on people who love their pets so much. Am I wrong?
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Ian and I both love our animals an awful lot. Ian will go to a vet
0:04:50 > 0:04:52and a vet will say a kitten came in to be put to sleep,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55its owner didn't want it, and he'll bring it home and we'll rehome it.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58People laugh and say, "You'll never make a fortune," but...
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- That's how we started. - We're happy doing what we do.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03I come from a fairly pragmatic animal family.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05My father was a vet and his father before him
0:05:05 > 0:05:10and so it was that when he retired, he shot his dog.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13And my mother said, "Where's the dog?" It's a true story
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and he said, "I can't afford a dog now I'm retired," so he shot it.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18'And with that tale of rural mortality,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21'I leave the confines of the comfort suite
0:05:21 > 0:05:24'and step out to explore what Craigycor has to offer.'
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Surrounded by shrieking shih-tzus and yapping hounds,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36it's no surprise that Ian and Karen lack focus.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38They're big on charity but small on profit.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46Forget rescue animals. Can I rescue this charitable duo from themselves?
0:05:52 > 0:05:53And what of the burning question -
0:05:53 > 0:05:57can they cope with the business end of the business?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59So you've got two incinerators here,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01the horse incinerator will go where, do you reckon?
0:06:01 > 0:06:03We're hoping it will go in here
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- and we'll take away one of these incinerators.- This one is for...
0:06:06 > 0:06:09This one is for solely private cremations, so there's only one body in this at a time.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- And this is the...? - And this is for group cremation.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15You can fit a good-sized dog, even a small pony, it's quite a big chamber.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17- Pony?- Yes, a small pony or sheep.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19And they get up to what sort of temperatures, then?
0:06:19 > 0:06:211,800 degrees.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24- A German shepherd... - Yes.- ..would take how long?
0:06:24 > 0:06:26An hour-and-a-half.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30Have you calculated the fuel costs per hour-and-a-half?
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Yes, it works out about £15 to £20.
0:06:33 > 0:06:34- Is it?- Yes.- As much as that?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36How much are you charging?
0:06:36 > 0:06:3750 for the small cremation and...
0:06:37 > 0:06:40- 50?- Yes.- Of which 20 goes on fuel.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42- Yeah.- It's too much.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- And fuel costs are going up all the time?- All the time.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- So your margin's decreasing?- Yes. - You're under pressure.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52You can't exist on thin air just because you've got a big heart.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53- Yes.- That's it!
0:06:53 > 0:06:56- You've got to put bread on the table for little Adam.- Yes.- That's it.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59That's lively incentive indeed.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00To make the business work,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03they're going to have drop the heart and put on the head.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08At the moment, there really isn't a business there, it's a charity.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10And it's some sort of family enterprise.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12If they want to actually turn it into a business
0:07:12 > 0:07:15and make a future for themselves and their little boy Adam,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17they'll have to start marketing it properly,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19and where should they market it?
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Straight down the throat of the veterinary practices
0:07:21 > 0:07:23because that's where their volume is coming from.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26'Can a local vet and a local livery yard
0:07:26 > 0:07:29'help them put food on the table?'
0:07:29 > 0:07:32We've had no pet crematorium come around soliciting business at all.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34- None of them?- No.
0:07:34 > 0:07:35Hmm, somebody is missing a trick.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38What sort of service would you expect now?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41We kind of see it as an extension of ourselves
0:07:41 > 0:07:43because that's what the client thinks.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46You want a nice, clean, professional front of house
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and above all, you want respect for the owners
0:07:49 > 0:07:51because they've been through a hard time
0:07:51 > 0:07:53and you want them to spend a bit of time with them
0:07:53 > 0:07:55and basically put their minds at ease.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59'So that's what the vets require, but what of horse owners?'
0:08:04 > 0:08:07- This is sort of the pet end of the equine industry.- Yes, it would be.
0:08:07 > 0:08:12And I guess that from time to time, sadly, you lose one?
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Unfortunately, yes.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16How do you dispose of the remains?
0:08:16 > 0:08:21In 2003, the EU brought in new legislation to say that
0:08:21 > 0:08:22all animals had to be taken away.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25So they come in a bin lorry type device,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28they hoist the animal with a crane into the bin lorry
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and take it away then to whatever plant it goes to.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34So is there a market for a crematorium for horses?
0:08:34 > 0:08:37I would imagine so, yes, I have spoken to some of our clients here
0:08:37 > 0:08:41and one of the girls who lost a horse a few years back said
0:08:41 > 0:08:44if the facility had been there at the time, she would have used it.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- They'll find the money.- They'll find the money, I think they will, yes.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51'Fuelled by my findings, I speed to Craigycor
0:08:51 > 0:08:55'to point Ian and Karen on the pathway to profit.'
0:08:55 > 0:08:57What struck me as remarkable
0:08:57 > 0:09:00was that this particular veterinary surgeon
0:09:00 > 0:09:04is never approached by anybody in the pet crematorium business
0:09:04 > 0:09:06saying, "Use us."
0:09:06 > 0:09:07There's an opportunity there
0:09:07 > 0:09:11for you guys to get together some sort of mailing marketing programme
0:09:11 > 0:09:13and make sure they know about you
0:09:13 > 0:09:15and that they're going to send you business.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20Also, move out of that yard with dogs barking, and there's a shop
0:09:20 > 0:09:23and there's a grooming parlour and people coming in with bouncy dogs
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and your customer is carrying the dead remains.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Not quite right, is it?
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Your quiet room is quite small, it's a bit cheerless, isn't it?
0:09:33 > 0:09:37It's not very comforting. And that's the face of your business.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39You two are great. The room is horrid.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42- Yeah.- You might even think of one of those wooden chalets,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and put it quietly up in the garden.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48You should view the cremation as just the beginning of the process.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50When you go and get your hair done,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53it's not just a question of having a haircut, is it?
0:09:53 > 0:09:57They say, "We think really you should this try this particular sort of conditioner,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01"and have you tried this shampoo?" That's up-selling, isn't it?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03What I urge you to do, cos I did it last night,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05is get onto the American site.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07You would not believe what's going on in America.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Mind you, they do love death over there,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11they make a real meal of it, quite frankly!
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Have a crack at it. Horses?
0:10:13 > 0:10:18How much more elegant would it be if the horse comes out of the box
0:10:18 > 0:10:20and you say to the owner, "Say goodbye,"
0:10:20 > 0:10:24you take it around the corner, you can shoot the horse.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26I think that's a nicer way to deal with these things.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28It is a possibility.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32You deal with the horse. Shoot the horse yourself.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Let me just summarise, now, in bullet point form, really.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Attack the vet market, give the owner a choice,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40move out of that little quiet room,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43maybe a chalet in the garden, with a little path up to it. Horses?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Install the big horse incinerator, but also consider getting a licence
0:10:47 > 0:10:50so that you deal with the horse
0:10:50 > 0:10:52while you look after the owner. What's wrong with that?
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Listen, I'm coming back in the spring.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56It's all action from this moment on.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00There was a few comments he made, a wee bit to the edge,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04- but he was truthful.- He was justified in everything he said.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06It is something... I do need to get my business head on,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08stop ruling with my heart.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Are Ian and Karen capable
0:11:10 > 0:11:13of dropping, you know, the sentimental side of this
0:11:13 > 0:11:15and turning it into a business?
0:11:15 > 0:11:18There is a business there, I have no doubt about it.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20By autumn, we will be moved fully
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- and we'll be completely away from Craigycor, name and everything.- Yes.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26To ignite Ian and Karen's business passion,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28I send in brand consultant
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Mark Thompson, who is consumer-focused.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Now, what they're buying is your compassion and your care
0:11:35 > 0:11:37and the way that you do your business,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39not just what the business is.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42That's the direction I've tried to take with the naming.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44The word is Farewell.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46The word that I think we need to put in front of that
0:11:46 > 0:11:48and which turns it then into a brand name
0:11:48 > 0:11:51is very simply Pets Farewell.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53It's simplistic and it really is fantastic, so it is.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58In addition to that, what you might also need are tag lines or slogans.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01It could be something about treasured moments lasting for ever,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04it could be peace for pet lovers in times of sorrow.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Putting it together with those,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09I have to say I feel myself welling up reading through those.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11I was thinking, "Don't sit here and cry, please,"
0:12:11 > 0:12:14but it's lovely, it's so, so nice, it really is.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17So, the new brand and the new tag line - what's next?
0:12:17 > 0:12:20There are some practical things they now need to do,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23secure the web addresses, make sure the trademark is enforceable.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25We need to get our log cabin
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and get that sorted and instated and ready to go.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I'm making enquiries at the minute about getting a gun
0:12:31 > 0:12:35for the purpose of, you know, humanely putting a horse to sleep.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40I left Ian and Karen with a long list of things to do
0:12:40 > 0:12:44and six weeks later, I'm back to check on progress.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Today's burning issue is the pet crematorium business
0:12:47 > 0:12:50and I'm off to Moira to see Ian and Karen.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Have they made caring commercial?
0:12:54 > 0:12:55DOGS BARK
0:12:55 > 0:12:59You've built the quiet room, the chalet of solace.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01I can't hear myself think over those dogs.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- How are they...? Are you going to quieten them down?- Yes.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07You ought to have a tranquiliser on the relevant days, really.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10We're going to plant hedgerow all along here,
0:13:10 > 0:13:11- so that will cut out...- Really?
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- That will be done in the next two months.- Along where?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- Right along this side over here. - Sort of leylandii things?
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- Yeah.- Tall?- Yes, big and strong
0:13:18 > 0:13:20that will block out the kennel view as well.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22We're going to plant laurel, I think, along here.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Laurel? That's a good funereal sort of plant,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29- yew trees have often favoured in graveyards.- Yep.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Shall we have a look inside the chalet of solace?
0:13:33 > 0:13:34It's an empty canvas, I guess,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- and the floor? - We have a few different options,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40we've had a few guys out the last week giving us quotes and stuff.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41We need a very expensive lino
0:13:41 > 0:13:44or something like that that's wiped clean and hygienic.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- Because of bodily fluids.- Bodily fluids would spill from animals, yes.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Where will the loved one - let's call it the loved one - where will that go?
0:13:50 > 0:13:53We'll have the table over here, so you'll be able to lay your pet out,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- so they'll be able to see out the window.- Got a bit of a view.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Heating in the winter - I mean, animals die the year round.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03- We have ordered a burner for the side.- A burner, a heater burner?
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- A heater burner, yes, a cast iron stove.- Good.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10I'm impressed with the chalet, the relocation and the signage,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14so we take the path of no return to branding.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17PetsFarewell is great, perfect, says it all.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21- What's underneath? "Pets and horse crematorium."- Yes.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Brilliant, so you've got the branding.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25That looks like a leaflet to me. Let's have a look at this.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27We've got a hamster, or is that a guinea pig?
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- A rabbit.- A rabbit, is it? OK.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33You know these things, they all look the same. No prices?
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- We didn't put pricing on these ones. - No prices.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37When we go through a veterinary practice,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39- the vets make their mark-up on it as well, obviously.- Yeah.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42And these are the caskets?
0:14:42 > 0:14:43Those are made for outside,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45so you can keep the ashes outside as garden ornaments
0:14:45 > 0:14:47rather than have to keep them in the house.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And the website's up and running, I hear. Let me see.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I do like the name.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54"Treasured moments last for ever."
0:14:56 > 0:14:59"Same-day crematorium. Contact us. Find us."
0:14:59 > 0:15:00So you have a map here.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03I think you've made great progress. Are you pleased with yourselves?
0:15:03 > 0:15:04Yeah. We are, yeah.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08- We talked about the horse, shooting the horse.- Yes.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10I'm still waiting to go and do the course.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12- So you're going to do it for real, huh?- Yes.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14That's going to be tricky for you.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- I'm not looking forward to it, but...- I can imagine,
0:15:17 > 0:15:19you'll be uncomfortable but it's all part of the business.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23I'd like to see what you're going to do with all your marketing material.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Will you be able to sell it into the public?
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Today you're going to deal with the consumer, the pet owner,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31in the middle of Belfast,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35selling to somebody who will one day have to get rid of the dead body.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39I'm sure they'll rise to the challenge,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41given what they've achieved so far.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Separating heart from head - that was my concern when I last saw them.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50Now Ian is going off to learn how to shoot horses in the head.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51That's progress.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56In this shopper's paradise,
0:15:56 > 0:16:02can Ian and Karen make PetsFarewell the creme de la creme of crematoria?
0:16:02 > 0:16:03Girls, have you got a couple of minutes?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05We're not selling anything, I promise!
0:16:05 > 0:16:08We're called PetsFarewell. We've been going about 14 years.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10- Do you have pets yourself? - I have a cat that I could kill.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13They've got to realise this is a joint venture,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15they've both got to pull their weight
0:16:15 > 0:16:17and at the moment it's Karen that's doing all the chat.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Lily's ashes are in this. She died three months ago. She was 17.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Ian's holding back. That's got to change.
0:16:24 > 0:16:25What is so heartening
0:16:25 > 0:16:28is that they're prepared to talk about money,
0:16:28 > 0:16:29about the cost of their service,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33which is excellent because so often people shy away from that.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34£80 for a Jack Russell.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38And that's in this with your engraving, as well. A cat's 55.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40But, and it's a big but,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44would Karen stop talking about her pet rescue charity?
0:16:44 > 0:16:45That's not what this is about.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48We just adopted a 16-year-old yorkie from Carrickfergus dog pound
0:16:48 > 0:16:50who's blind and deaf.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- Out of your comfort zone a bit - this is a first.- Way, way out.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55- How are you getting on? - Considering I like talking so much,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- it's been very, very hard.- It didn't look difficult, to be honest.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00It's a joint business venture,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04so you've both got to get in and sell together, it's not just Karen.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06- Karen's good at it. - You've both got to talk.- Yes.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08So what was the general reaction?
0:17:08 > 0:17:11A lot of people were surprised that you could cremate an animal.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15We spoke to one lady that's got to make a decision to have her dog put to sleep
0:17:15 > 0:17:18and she said it's a very hard subject and she took one of the leaflets.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20You gave her a leaflet? I'd take her number!
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Ring her on a weekly basis, see how the old dog's doing.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25A lot of people were saying that
0:17:25 > 0:17:28they had paid sort of in excess of just under £200,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31they paid double the fee what we would charge directly.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Maybe you're charging too little. And tell me one thing -
0:17:33 > 0:17:37why are you spending so much time talking about your charity?
0:17:37 > 0:17:39That's not why we're here.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41It's just easy to keep chatting.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43But sometimes it's a soft lead-in.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47Talk about the charity and then bring it round to PetsFarewell.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50We did a few times, we sort of tried to say, "We have rescue dogs..."
0:17:50 > 0:17:51- She's a chatter, this one.- Yeah.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- What?- I am. - That's why I married her.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Next morning, I rouse the happy couple early
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and to make sure the equine business isn't just flogging a dead horse,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06I arrange to meet Ian and Karen under the shadow of the Mournes.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Good to see you. - You too.- Good to see you.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12You probably wonder what on earth you're doing in a foggy car park.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13You're here to saddle up, mount
0:18:13 > 0:18:18and take your PetsFarewell equestrian business into a canter.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20What does that mean?
0:18:20 > 0:18:22It means you've got to get in amongst these people here.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Every one of these people has got at least one horse.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- And they age and die, and you need their business.- OK.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33And don't leave it all to this young lady either.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- OK.- Not all down to the missus, you've got to chat too.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37I'll be watching you.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Guys, have you got a couple of seconds?
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Can I give you one of our wee leaflets?
0:18:48 > 0:18:50We've just opened a horse crematorium.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52People get very attached to their horses,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54they usually keep them to a ripe old age.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57As such, I think they would really appreciate
0:18:57 > 0:19:00having your facility to have a crematorium for them.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I certainly would have when my horses came to their end.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05It's something you don't want to think about
0:19:05 > 0:19:07but we always say it's better to be prepared.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Have a wee read through that and see what you think.
0:19:10 > 0:19:11I was speaking to a lady down there.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14She was saying when you have the horses so long, 20, 25 years plus...
0:19:14 > 0:19:15- They are pets.- They are pets.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- They definitely are pets. - They are part of the family.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21It's almost like losing a member of your family.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Well, this mare's a family pet as such, really,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26and we'll have her to the end of her day,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28and the idea of sending her away...
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- It's the hard bit. - ..isn't really what we want.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32- These people are so fond of their animals.- Yes.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34They want to do the very best for them
0:19:34 > 0:19:36and I think what you're doing is that.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40I've been watching you both, particularly you, Ian,
0:19:40 > 0:19:43because initially, of course, you were very shy but you broke through
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and when you broke through, actually, you were very, very good.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49So what I want you both to do, particularly you, Ian,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53is to get around all the veterinary practices selling in PetsFarewell,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56because that's where the bulk of your business will come from in the future.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58And another thing -
0:19:58 > 0:20:01when you've got the chalet of solace painted up and furnished,
0:20:01 > 0:20:03you've got the horse incinerator in,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05everything's ready, the new brochure too -
0:20:05 > 0:20:07then you're going to have a big open day,
0:20:07 > 0:20:08and I'm coming back for it, yeah?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13While I'm back in London,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Ian and Karen take delivery of their horse incinerator.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19We have a guy out today to install the new incinerator
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and he's going to show us how to work it and how to use everything.
0:20:22 > 0:20:23He's going to plumb it up to oil
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and get everything wired up for us and ready to go.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Da!
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I'm relieved that it's here.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32We're going to move it over there and we'll be more delighted
0:20:32 > 0:20:36when the hut is made and enclosed and out of these conditions.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39It sort of feels like it's all coming together now, slowly but surely.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42It's been really scary. It's been really, really scary.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46I kind of think after we've spent the amount of money we've spent,
0:20:46 > 0:20:47I hope it's going to work.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49We've had quite a nervous couple of weeks.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50It's been hard going.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Near tears at times, I'm being serious,
0:20:52 > 0:20:54it's just, once we get this into the hut,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57then we can just concentrate on getting the customers.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59We've put our own life savings into what we're doing.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01We've self-funded this ourself.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04So it's scary, too, thinking, "Is it going to work?
0:21:04 > 0:21:08"Is it going to be viable? Is it going to keep us going?"
0:21:08 > 0:21:09You know, what we need it to do.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13The thing more stressful is, you think it's going to take two days
0:21:13 > 0:21:14and it works out two weeks.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17You know, you maybe do a couple of hours here
0:21:17 > 0:21:19and a couple of hours there, and it's just...
0:21:22 > 0:21:24It's just stressful.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27One month later, to help lighten their load,
0:21:27 > 0:21:28I arrange for Kevin Spurgeon
0:21:28 > 0:21:32of the Association of Private Pet Cemeteries and Crematoria
0:21:32 > 0:21:35to pay them a visit to make sure that everything is as it should be.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I mean, one of the things with the association
0:21:37 > 0:21:39is the code of practice we have.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41That's one of the things I'm here today to go through
0:21:41 > 0:21:45is to look at what you're doing here - how you're describing everything,
0:21:45 > 0:21:48making sure that the service carried out meets the standard.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50The pets are alone in the chamber?
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- Yeah.- All their ash comes out?- Yeah.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56And prior to any other cremation taking place afterwards,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- so all their ashes are collected first?- Yes.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Effectively, if you can operate as if
0:22:01 > 0:22:04the pet owner was standing by your side at every stage of the process
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and you would be happy for them to see anything you were doing,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09then you can't go too far wrong.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It's quite obvious they care for the pets they look after.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15They just need to look at refining the service,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17improving the facilities,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19which they've got intentions to do, which is brilliant.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22So what I'd like to do is invite them over to my crematorium
0:22:22 > 0:22:24and they can have a look round.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Three weeks later, they find Kevin Spurgeon's Dignity in Hampshire.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Hello, guys, how are you doing?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33- How are you?- Pleased to see you. Thanks for coming over.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Started 21 years ago by Kevin's parents,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Dignity now cremates 5,500 animals per year
0:22:40 > 0:22:45and people spend between £150 and £200 per animal.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49This is the cremator room.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51We've got two cremations ongoing at the moment in here.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53I'll show you inside.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54This is a hot half machine,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57which is what most of the human machines have.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01- Another thing was the cremulator. - Yes.- What we tend to do first
0:23:01 > 0:23:03is we reduce the remains down a little bit finer.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05OK, so all out.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Start.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Makes life a lot easier. The majority will fall straight in.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14As ever, adapting,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18radiator paintbrush for just getting around into the crevices,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21just means you can get all the ashes out in a quite easy way.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24People are paying for your attention to detail.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27And for Dignity, detail is key.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32We're able to get all the remains out with relatively little fuss.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Very simply, we just have an ashes container
0:23:35 > 0:23:38and then we're going to remove the remains using a half rake,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41so very much like humans do.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43A lot of human crematoriums use that half rake, that would be it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45What we have is a wetted brush,
0:23:45 > 0:23:47which we can remove the rest of the remains,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50so we know that chamber is pristine.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Kevin continues his tour
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and shows Ian and Karen the customised hearses, the cool room
0:23:56 > 0:23:59and the garden of remembrance, where pets' ashes can be scattered
0:23:59 > 0:24:03before offering some vital advice to the pet crematorium couple.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06You've got your customers and you've got your clients.
0:24:06 > 0:24:07You've got veterinary clients
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and you've got your physical pet owner customers.
0:24:10 > 0:24:11Connect with the pet owners.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13I have thoroughly enjoyed myself.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15It's been one of the best days I've ever had.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16Joyous junkets are one thing,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20but I need Ian and Karen to sell their business to the local vets.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Hi, I'm Karen Matthews from PetsFarewell.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24- Thanks for taking the time. - How are you doing?
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- I'm Karen Matthews from PetsFarewell.- Nice to meet you.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- I'm Karen.- Welcome to City Vets. - Thanks for taking the time to see us.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35This is our standard range. Then our deluxe range as well.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38There's cast iron figures and they're about between £10 and £15 extra.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41There's no fee for either us to come and collect bodies,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43if you need us six times in a week, we'll be here
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and there's no fee for that, and there's no fee for clinical waste.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48We also offer the service that if a customer leaves the body
0:24:48 > 0:24:51and want the ashes back quicker, they can come and collect them
0:24:51 > 0:24:53directly from us and we still bill you for it.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56This is our price list. We've recently just rebranded.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57We've been running for 15 years.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Brought some of the newer pieces. These are the wee Eden caskets.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02The Eden casket? I like that.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04- Aren't they really nice? - That is very nice.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06And that's the dark wood there as well.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08We offer complimentary fur clippings.
0:25:08 > 0:25:09We're also now able to do paw prints,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11which is amazing and has gone down really well.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Those come in black or white
0:25:13 > 0:25:15and again, all different sizes depending on your needs.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18It seems the complete package.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I'll have a little look at the prices and see
0:25:20 > 0:25:22if we can maybe do some business.
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Thank you so much for your time.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Ian's right. Karen can talk.
0:25:25 > 0:25:26Somebody's got to.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36I'm on my final journey to Moira to see Ian and Karen.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Today they launch PetsFarewell, their crematorium business,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41and I hope they've got everything ready.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49One of my horses is a 24-year-old gelding,
0:25:49 > 0:25:54so I may well be in the market for
0:25:54 > 0:25:57a place like this in the coming years.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Things have certainly changed.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Look at this path here, trees, a little statue. Very good.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08Oh, my word. Wonderful.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Big change. I could take my holidays here.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14And these are all the products.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Then we've got the caskets.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18When do you actually start talking about money?
0:26:18 > 0:26:20We usually take payment after everything's been sorted
0:26:20 > 0:26:22- when they come back to collect the ashes.- Really?
0:26:22 > 0:26:25They don't get the ashes until they've paid, I guess.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26I'm not going to hold you up
0:26:26 > 0:26:29because this afternoon PetsFarewell gets its official launch
0:26:29 > 0:26:30and you've got a lot to do. Go on, off you go.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32No problem. Thank you.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It's just so nice to have somebody who understands
0:26:36 > 0:26:39what the devastation is when you lose your pet.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43You put every bit as much into each pet as you would put into any child.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47It's devastating when you lose one. You maybe have them 15 years.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50You wipe over the paw, put the paw onto shiny paper and blow on it
0:26:50 > 0:26:51and it comes up with a perfect paw print.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53We've tried it with a few of my cats and dogs
0:26:53 > 0:26:55but it's not as easy when they're alive.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57It's hard to get them to sit still.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59I don't know whether they'll consider it,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01maybe bereavement counselling or something in the future
0:27:01 > 0:27:04would probably be a wonderful thing too.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11So here she is - the horse incinerator.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Is this the permanent place for it?
0:27:13 > 0:27:15No, it'll be installed over in the yard.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17And there'll be a building fabricated round it.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18But you need to get this thing fed,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21and how many horses can you turn to ashes in a day?
0:27:21 > 0:27:23- One.- One a day?
0:27:23 > 0:27:26At the minute, one a day by the time it cools down.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- And that's maybe £600 a day.- Yes.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Do five of those a week, you'd be all right, wouldn't you?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- £3,000 a week... - It would be good if we could.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- Yeah.- You're in business.- Yep.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I'd just like to thank you all for coming today.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47This is our official opening today for PetsFarewell.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49It's been a busy few months for Ian and I,
0:27:49 > 0:27:51so we're just hoping things continue to go good
0:27:51 > 0:27:53and thank you all for being here.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Well, here we are at the end of a very successful launch day
0:28:01 > 0:28:04due to all the energy that Karen and Ian put into it.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Their newly branded PetsFarewell is up and running.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10They've ignited a new business,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13but now they've got to sell and sell and sell again
0:28:13 > 0:28:15every day of the week.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd