Features Column
Animal companions deserve best possible treatment, even in death
(Jennifer Priest Mitchell is a freelance writer in Beaverton. She can be reached at jnjmitchell@yahoo.com.)
The pet industry is a growing one — car seats for dogs, clothing and a variety of human-like foods for cats and dogs, as well as a host of services for our animal companions are out there for families with pets. It is tough to think about, but there is even a need for after-care services in the event of your pet’s death. Dignified Pet Services in Tualatin is among the top-notch facilities in the area, and Matthew Ellis, After Care Counselor, is among the devoted staff there who can help.
Ellis fully understands just how much people love their animal companions. And, he understands how important it is for people to provide the best possible care for their pets, and to grieve and move forward, just as we do if we lose a human family member.
“We are a crematory and funeral home for animal companions, but it goes so far beyond that. We have a live person answer the phone seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and we have great staff to help people through this difficult time,” he recently shared.
Originally from Tulsa, Okla., Ellis became a funeral director’s apprentice in Tulsa when he was a young man. He then spent five years working in the industry, where he coordinated funeral services for families going through the loss of a person. He would plan details of the funeral ceremony, including limousine services, ministers, musicians, flowers, printers and other event details. During the time he worked at the funeral home, Ellis was an active volunteer in the animal service world. He was busy rescuing cats and preparing them for adoption, and eventually working part-time at a veterinary hospital while also working full-time in the funeral home.
Ellis had a close friend who moved to Portland a few years back and, as he put it, “She was always telling me what a great place Oregon is and how open-minded and caring the community is.” Eventually, he decided to visit, and ended up making Oregon his home.
Ellis was first aware of death at the tender age of 5, when a family pet died. Other pets also died over the years - hamsters, dogs and cats, and Ellis recalls the sense of loss when those creatures passed. Then when he was a young teen, his father died in an automobile accident. Not long after that, three of his grandparents passed away, and Ellis reflects on these events with a warm and a peaceful tone to his voice: “My family was very supportive of me, and of one another in those trying times. There was not intense grief that I recall, but it was those events that helped me develop patience and an understanding of death and what it means to people, and how we must each deal with it and care for our loved ones who have left us.”
He began a unique hobby at age 16, which helped him to heal, and to deal with death: Ellis enjoyed seeing the beautiful historical statues in cemeteries, and he started taking pictures of them.
“It was in the south, and many of the statues and memorial pieces were really ornate and beautiful, and I could feel them speaking to me and they made a real impression on me,” he said. “By taking these pictures, I found a true comfort and a sense of peace.”
He studied them and continued to take pictures of them, and he has recently displayed his work in shows. “I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from it,” he remarked.
Ellis now lives in Tualatin and is very pleased with what he calls his simple, yet rewarding life in Oregon.
“This is such a great place to live,” he said. “One of the things I absolutely love about this community is its awareness of animal rights. I’ve seen tremendous changes in people’s attitudes toward animals and people here in the Northwest are on a different level than people in other areas as far as their connection to animals.
“These sentiments should be echoed across the world. This is really where the heart and soul of humanity are, and I know we are so blessed to have so many intelligent and loving people here in this area.”
Much of Ellis’ happiness about life is attributable to his happiness at work. He said, “We have three to five families come in each day, some of those by appointment and some not by appointment. People need a place to bring their animal companion, and they need a place to express their feelings and also to openly discuss their desires and needs as far as a memorial service or what care their animal companion needs at this point. I find it very meaningful and rewarding to be a part of that process.”
An animal lover himself, Ellis shares his life with three cats who return his affection and devotion.
For more information on Dignified Pet Services in Tualatin, call 503-885-2211, or go to the Web site www.dignifiedpetservices.com.