The owner of Jerns Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Bellingham has opened a second business, Pets & Paws Cremation, to assist people who have recently had a pet pass away.

Pets & Paws Cremation offers a 72-hour turnaround for pet cremations for owners in Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties. Owner Brad Bytnar said every pet cremation includes an online tribute page, where owners and friends can share memories and photos of their pet.

Options include pickup of a pet from a local veterinary or other location, a selection of urns and assistance with interment. Information about local regulations also is available.

“Having recently suffered the loss of our dog, Heidi, I certainly understand the special bond that exists between pet owners and our companion animals,” Bytnar said, in a news release. “We offer a wide range of choices for celebrating their lives and memorializing the special memories they provide in a dignified and safe manner.”

“As the owner of Jerns Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory, we became aware of the need for families to memorialize their other family members, their beloved pets. Much like our human crematory, our separate state-of-the-art facility for pets is operated by our certified crematory operators.”

Pets & Paws Cremation is located at 800 E. Sunset Drive, at the intersection with James Street, just off Interstate 5’s Sunset Drive interchange. It shares the location with Jerns Funeral Home, but the businesses use separate crematory facilities.

For more information, call 360-483-9440 or visit www.PetsAndPawsCremation.com.