In July, Peninsula Pet Cremation — an affiliation of Harper Ridgeview Funeral Chapel and Mount Angeles Memorial Park in Port Angeles and Sequim Valley Funeral Chapel in Sequim — collected donations in lieu of fees for pet services, to gift to the Olympic Peninsula Humane Society (OPHS).

The business presented OPHS with $1,582 in donations.

“We are honored to receive this donation from Peninsula Pet Cremation and their clients,” OPHS Executive Director Luanne Hinke said.

”I understand pet parents were allowed to select their donation amount and often gifted more than the services received. It’s such a wonderful outpouring of love that will help our animals here at the shelter.”

Mark Gustafson, General Manager of Peninsula Pet Cremation and Harper-Ridgeview, said, “We realize that at times our closest friends in this life get around on four legs instead of two. We established Peninsula Pets in April 2018 to allow our community to keep their pets here locally for all their memorial needs and allow them to honor their pet in any way they choose.”

A cremation scattering garden is also available exclusively for pets at Mount Angeles Memorial Park for those who desire to have a place where they can return and memorialize.

“We are very devoted to supporting our community,” Gustafson said. “This is why we established July as a month we offered our pet services for free and asked for a donation for OPHS. Owners all viewed this as a wonderful way to memorialize and honor their pet.”

Hinkle added, “The fact that Peninsula Pet Cremations offered their services in this way was a very special gesture. The grieving pet owners really appreciated their thoughtfulness in enabling their ability to help other animals.”