The Pet Memorial Center
Ed Rusnak started The Pet Memorial Center of Rochester in August of 2007. Ed is a licensed funeral director in the state of New York and has had over 20 years experience in the funeral industry. Ed's passion for funeral service and love of animals is what inspired him to start a business dedicated to pet death care.
Toody and Ed Rusnak
Rusnak and his family moved to Rochester from Baltimore, MD over 2 years ago and started The Pet Memorial Center of Rochester based on a highly successful model begun in Indianapolis by Coleen Ellis, who is the innovator of the first pet funeral home in the United States.
"My family and I know first hand about losing a loving pet," Rusnak says. "When our precious golden retriever passed away 3 years ago, it was like losing a family member.
Toody and Ed Rusnak, daughter Jessica
and their dog Luigi
"At that time, we didn't have many options, so we chose to have her buried at the Humane Society of Baltimore. Now we're left only with the memory of her in our hearts .... from a distance."
Rusnak is proud to be working with Lollypop Farm, utilizing its crematorium. However, he offers many more services replicating the role of a traditional funeral director, but for pets only. His services have the blessing of Lollypop Farms' President and CEO, Alice Calabrese Smith.
The Pet Memorial Center of Rochester offers many exceptional services and memorial products:
- 24/7 availability to speak with a professional
- Transfer of the deceased pet in a dignified, respectful, and timely manner
- Paw print and hair clipping keepsake
- Private cremations
- ID system to ensure the customer is receiving their pet's remains
- Burial and cremation guidance
- Facilitation of a full funeral service if desired
- Grief support for adults and children
The items and services Rusnak offers have proven to be popular with families who appreciate the sense of dignity they bestow on their pet. Further, with a single source for help when a pet dies, families are spared the effort and expense of trying on their own to organize a suitable way of memorializing their pet. “I take care of the details so families can properly focus on what their pet meant in their lives," he says.
Rusnak offers a variety of memorial packages for cremation and burial; all are reasonably priced to allow families flexibility to best fulfill their needs. The Pet Memorial Center of Rochester is not part of a franchise; it's locally originated, owned and operated.
Rosnak first met Jerry Braiman and Bob Koehler of SCORE in April, 2007.
“Jerry & Bob were instrumental in giving me my first stamp of approval in reference to my business model. They had told me of various SCORE workshops. I attended one about staring a small business and valuable free services through the SBA. I proceeded to get in touch with David Denz of the SBA He assisted with my Financial Pro Forma and working on my business plan. Through the assistance of the SCORE volunteers such as Jerry & Bob, the SCORE workshop I attended and David Denz of SBA the services and guidance as a new business owner is nothing short of exceptional.”
The Pet Memorial Center of Rochester can be reached at (585) 586-PETS (7387). The website is www.thepetmemorialcenter.com. The e-mail is ed@thepetmemorialcenter.com
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