Crematorium for Animals in Chennai

Tell My Story

The first of its kind crematorium for animals in Chennai would ensure dignity in death for pets say pet owners and animal lovers.

Chennai has a new dedicated crematorium for animals. Pet lovers in the city would now be able to cremate their loving pets when they die and take-home ashes.

Mr. L Ganesh, the Chair of Chennai Willingdon Corporate Foundation (CWCF) inaugurated this facility at the Blue Cross premises on Saturday in the presence of Mr. Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation.

Sanjesh, a pet lover along Chennai’s East Coast Road is a relieved lot. Over the last three years he had lost two of his pets and he had to stealthily bury them on a beach. “I live in an apartment and there is no open space to bury my cats when they died. This crematorium for pets would help us to give our pets a dignified farewell they deserve”.

Pet rescuer Kowmari Krithika added “It’s a great initiative. When pets pass away, people just don’t know what to do at that time. Sometimes they go far away to beaches to bury them“.

The idea of a crematorium at the Blue Cross came up in the year 2016 when Mr. N Sankar, the then Chairman of Willingdon Corporate Foundation offered to fund after sponsoring a concrete road within the Blue Cross campus on Velachery Road, Dr Chinny Krishna, the Co-Founder and Chairman of Blue Cross of India said.

Speaking to tellmystory.in he added “We were so delighted Essco Furnaces who have supplied many smokeless human crematoria all over India offered to build one for animals at a very attractive cost. There was a delay in getting TNPCB approval due the lockdowns and the need to put in several additional features to make it as environmentally friendly as possible“.

Welcoming the initiative Mr. Bedi said ‘The Chennai Corporation too has plans for an animal crematorium under the smart cities project“.

With pet lovers on the rise and open fields or gardens disappearing giving space to high rise apartments in Chennai, dignity in death for pets often seen as part of the family has been a challenge in Chennai.

Dr Krishna added “Sadly, many began to bury them on the beaches. Some were just left near garbage heaps or dumps. Recently, the Greater Chennai Corporation allowed people to bury their pets at Kannamapet and Santhome“.

Chennaiites who would like to utilize the crematorium can register at bit.ly/animalcremation Those who can afford could donate Rs 2500// for this cause.