Complaint Review: Mountain Empire Pet Crematory - Heritage Family Funeral Services

I have done business with this crematory on 4 occasions and I have been shown nothing but respect.The first dealing with them was when my beloved boxer Bandit passed away after a brief illness. I had heard of pets being cremated but I didn't really know if it was right for me to do to Bandit or not.He was a rescue from the animal shelter that I had the joy of being "mommy" to for almost a year. Well, when he passed it was a day in November when the ground was frozen so then the choice was made for me.I contacted Wanda Akers and she was very helpful....I went and picked out a urn for him in an enviroment that was like a "human" funeral home. I was shown nothing but respect and I was assured that my beloved baby would be very well taken care of considering the situation.When the urn was picked up I was very satisfied...and I brought my baby home. 2nd occasion a friend of my sisters had a rotty puppy pass away from parvo...immediately I called Wanda and arrangements were made for cremation and picked out an urn...once again Very satisified. 3rd occasion Our beloved baby Montana passed away. It was on a Sat and everyone was too upset to bury her so I called the crematory and left a voice mail message since they were closed. Within 5 minutes my call had been returned and they made arrangements to come to the house and pick her up for cremation.NOTHING but respect when handling her to put her in the van.She was put on a stretcher and covered over just like humans are done.4th occasion one of my friends lost her rescued baby and she was taken to be cremated.To put it simple...If you love your Babies as much as I do I would recommend Mountain View Pet Crematory to any and everyone and when the time comes I will once again get intrust them to the cremation of my "baby".Thank You Ms Wanda,Rochelle and Jerry you all have made the rough times a whole lot easier for me

I am submitting a rebuttal to the ripoff report against Mountain Empire Pet Crematory in Elizabethton, Tennessee and Wanda, the employee specifically mentioned in the report.

Over the years my husband and I, my mother, and my brother have taken the remains of sixteen (16) of our beloved dogs and cats to the Crematory. I have transported all these remains to Wanda personally. In each and every case she has been sincerely caring and concerned about our loss. She has handled each case with as much respect and dignity as if the beloved pet had been her own. In my time spent with Wanda at the Crematory I have learned that she is a great animal lover herself and that she and her husband have rescued, saved and loved a number of pets of their own. This knowledge has given me more confidence in having her care for the remains of my beloved animals.

The crematory has a number of urns on display that are available for storing the beloved pet's ashes. The urns range from a simple black box to beautiful wooden urns or those made of different shades of marble. The urn choice is that of the owner. Each time I have visited the Crematory Wanda has seen to it that the ashes of our beloved pets that I brought to her were returned in a timely manner and in the urn I had specified to her.

My family and I will continue to use the services of Mountain Empire Pet Crematory. We know we can trust Wanda to handle our pet's remains individually and with tender care.

Audrey
Kingsport, Tennessee

I have been using Mountain Empire Pet Crematory for 3 years, and well aware of their fine service for 5 years. I'm retired from working in animal rescue, specializing in taking cats with physical disabilities from criminal abuse cases. Since I moved to the Tri Cities 3 years ago, Mountain Empire has cremated 30 of my beloved cats. Wanda and the whole staff not only treat the animals with respect, but their unwavering compassion for pets and the people they leave behind is remarkable.

I also have an extensive background in both the medical and forensic anthropological fields, so trust me...I know more about cremation and handling remains than most every will want to know. So I think I have the credentials to comment on your ridiculous accusation.

I can not decide what is more shocking, your ignorance or your shameful self centered attitude. Honey, guess what?? Galileo wasn't kidding, the world does not revolve around you! Have you stopped to think that since no one else has every complained to your vet or to Mountain Empire about their temporary urns, that perhaps others like them??

Are you that self absorbed to think that your taste must be 'law'?? I happen to love the temporary urn that you called "an ugly black box". My family, friends and co-wokers feel the same. Its sleek and serves its purpose, it is also identical to the human temporary urn that most cremains come in.

A tin box with paw prints? Are you kidding me?? That is beyond tacky and what most people put pet treats in! Would you put your human loved ones in a tin?? I guess one of those big popcorn tins could be your family mausoleum!! Yep, tin says respecting the dead to me, all class.

Its a temporary urn. Its what they give you before you transfer the cremains into another urn or scatter them. Ileave my cats in them, until one day when my Will states that I want my ashes mixed with theirs and scattered.

First off, the name of this website if Rip Off. You were never ripped off. You got a private, quality cremation for $80. (and that's with the 'ugly black plastic box'). You bold faced lied about Abingdon being cheaper, their cost for a private cat cremation is $90.

Your cat is dead, and Zip lock bags are all you have to fixate on?? Seriously?? You know why they use commercial zip lock bags?? Because they are the most trusted, Why re-invent the wheel? Guess what is used in many forensic cases dealing with human remains or even bodily fluids?? That's right, zip lock bags.

Wanda is too respectful of her clients feelings, but do you want to know why most do not use 'seal a meal' bags?? They are vacuumed sealed, so, if you open it, to transfer or scatter the cremains.... you get a face full of ash and snorting your dead pet isn't exactly respectful.

Basically, you had a hissy fit over semantics... what name was or wasn't on the temporary urn and bag that contained Taz. Do you realize how petty & superficial that is?? All cremains, human or pet, get delivered in a plastic bag, within the urn. Except for the few shoddy places that dump your animal straight into a box.

If you used them before, then you KNEW exactly what your animal would be returned to you in, so how are you surprised? They have used the same box for the 5 years I have been aware of them.

Wanda is so accommodating to her clients. Whatever you want their remains placed in, she will do it. If you do not know, they have a standard temporary urn.

If Taz was so ill that he was racking up the vet bills, you knew death was coming, you could have sent your own temporary urn with him upon his demise, Wanda would have done whatever you asked... she always does. And then the cremation would have just been $65. I am not counting transport because I care enough to make that one hour drive and bring my animals to Wanda myself, each and every time, same for pick up. Not only do I feel that its my last duty to my beloved pet, but seeing Wanda serves as closure. Her compassion for each animal is that of only a TRUE animal lover can give. No one leaves there that isn't very thankful for her words and time.

I have a feeling you fibbed about saying that the owner of your vet agrees with you, considering its who they have recommended, for almost a decade. Your complaint is obviously a first. Also, out of professional respect, and fear of slander (libel after you posted their words), no owner or agent would be that foolish to say such things about such a respected company. Vets know the gory side of death, plastic bags are no new surprise to them.

The place your friend used in Maryville, would that be Resthaven? Good company, but up until 3 years ago, they returned your cremains in saran wrap and cheapy plastic bags and in a cardboard box, the same box you would get at the postal store to mail a mug in. And the price, as of 3 years ago?? $90. The place in Loudon is near $200. And dear god, you want to talk about disrespect and ripoff, RossAnn charged $90 and they gave you a pretty wood box and your pets paw prints in clay... only problem was that it was a corrupt company that not only de-frauded thousands, but just dumped the animals in dumpsters, left dozens to rot in their warehouse and on the side of the road.

You also got your cat picked up from the vet, cremated, and delivered, all in a week, that is OUTSTANDING! Even faster if you had done the driving yourself. I have waited 3+ weeks for cremains from some places.

My cats have all survived terrible abuse. They were disrespected and hurt in life. Once they came into my care, I promised to respect and cherish them forever, and that means in death too. Wanda is an essential part of that now. It doesn't matter what the cat looks like, she sees only beauty and how precious they were and still are. Many of my cats are burn survivors, been deformed from abuse, missing limbs, you name it and Wanda and the entire staff treat each one with total respect and see them as just worthy as a fancy pedigree cat.

Your Taz is gone and instead honoring his memory with something positive, you have unjustly struck out at a wonderful company, that would do anything for their clients in their time of need. You not only should be printing a retraction, but a heart felt apology to Wanda and the staff. All the time you have spent having a hissy fit, you could have spent doing something positive for cats, in Taz's name. Show that you are a compassionate animal lover and not a self absorbed twit, who has way too much free time to fixate & slander a well respected and cherished member of the animal world, and that's what Mountain Empire Pet Crematory is.

If nothing else, at least get your facts straight before you disparage someones good name. Those tins you think are the epitome of class?? Use them for their REAL purpose, bake some cookies and send your apologies, along with the tin of petty regret.

Sincerely,
Mimi in Kinsgport on behalf of all my cats that Wanda & Mnt Empire have shown respect and compassion in handling their remains and memory.

Emily I would like to extend my condolensence to you on the loss of Attila. I have dealt with Mountain Empire Pet Crematory prior to my Taz, I had spoken to Wanda last October and choose not to use any of the urns offered by them, I was able to get a much nicer wood memorial urn at a much cheaper price. When I found myself in need of the service of Moutain Empire Pet Crematory once again, I choose again to have a special memorial urn made. I could not afford the urns that they offered, I had a very large vet bill that needed to be taken care of.

I would not have been so offended if the bag that my Taz's remains were in was a plain zipped bag, but it was the commercial 'Ziploc' bag. A month prior to Taz's passing a friend in Maryville had lost her cat and also had her cremated and when Chelsea's ashes were returned they were sealed, like with a seal a meal and the sealed bag of ashes were in a tin with paw prints on it. To me this is respect for me and my animal.

Since I've first vented about Mountain Empire Pet Crematory I have discovered another pet crematory in the area and they know how to respect their customers and their beloved pets. This new place is called Faithful Pets, they are located in Abingdon, VA and their prices are considerably less than Mountain Empire Pet Crematory, they also will pick up at the vets office and return also. The remains come back sealed and in a decorative tin, at no additional charge.

I hope your future dealing with Mountain Empire Pet Crematory continue to satisfy you, my doing business with them is over.

Let me begin by saying to Susan that I am sincerely sorry to hear of the loss of Taz. I have lost several beloved pets over the years, and I know what a difficult and stressful time it can be. I must however, comment that I have been a dedicated client of Mountain Empire Pet Cremation, and have always been satisfied with their services.

Nearly a year ago, Mountain Empire Pet Cremation was recommended to me by my vet when I lost my cat, Attila. I was very upset and nervous about the cremation process, so I called Mountain Empire and spoke with Wanda. She was professional and kind on the phone. She invited me to visit the crematorium and helped soothe all of my concerns regarding Attila's cremation. Upon my first visit to Mountain Empire, Wanda was patient and supportive as I looked through catalogs of urns. While I sat in Mountain Empire's office, Wanda told me the story of how she had recently lost her beloved cat, and I realized that she truly loves animals and her job. I immediately felt comfortable with her and with the entire staff of Mountain Empire.

Attila's ashes were returned to me, as per my request, double-bagged in plastic in a velvet pouch contained within a nice, white box. (I should note that her ashes were in a Ziploc bag, within another larger bag. I did not find this offensive in any way. I know that Attila was handled with great care throughout the entire process, and I know that her ashes were kept safe and sound in the two plastic bags. Human remains are handled much in the same manner.) Attila's name was clearly noted on the bags as well as on the box that contained her ashes.

Pet cremation, as most pet-owners know, offers many options to the owner. I chose to become involved in Attila's cremation and to designate the container in which I wanted her precious remains to be placed. I believe that a phone call to Mountain Empire prior to Taz's ashes return to the vet could have helped the situation a great deal. I am positive that Wanda would have been happy to assist in choosing a different box, as well as explaining how and why the ashes are placed in plastic bags.

I would like to again say that I am sorry for the loss of Taz, and I wish Susan the best during this difficult time.