LAKE COUNTY >> Like her mother, father and other relatives who came before, Denise Winn wanted to have her cat Ziggy, who she considered another member of the family, cremated to have his remains.
She took Ziggy to Lake County Animal Care and Control (LCAC), the only facility in the county that provides animal cremation services.
Once the process was completed, “I picked him up in a tiny bag that said Ziggy on it, but it wasn”t Ziggy,” Winn said. Her suspicion results from a few missing screws.
Ziggy was her companion of five years who fell ill from a deadly ailment that, Winn claims, left him highly contagious. After having spent thousands of dollars to try and save him, she decided to euthanize Ziggy.
“I wanted to have his ashes so I can bring him everywhere,” Winn said. “Once they are dead they”re dead so it really doesn”t matter, but it does kind of to me.”
To ensure she received Ziggy”s remains, Winn claims she included surgical stainless steel screws as well as a belly button ring with the body and presented all in a plastic bag.
Veterinary technician Shana Smith said she watched Winn put an earring into the cat”s ear but could not say if it was stainless steel or titanium or another metal. Most soft metals would melt in the roughly 2,000 degree temperature used during the cremation process.
Smith believes Winn did receive the correct material.
Bill Davidson, LCAC director, thinks it”s unlikely that Winn received another cat”s ashes and remains doubtful as to whether titanium screws were inside the body of her pet.
The cremation processes starts with the incineration. Depending on the size of the animal, staff can fit up to three inside the furnace, and it takes anywhere from four to eight hours. Davidson said metals will melt and form puddles that eventually cool off into silver rocks.
“Then (the remains) get put in the machine that makes bones into a pile of dust in 30 seconds, if there are any metal objects remaining, we”d find them,” Davidson said.
Before the remains are put in the processor, staff sift through them to find pieces, such as surgical screws, that cannot be crushed; however, he assures that anything taken out is put in a bag and returned to the owner.
Davidson said cremating pets is a popular service. He estimates the office performs about 20 to 25 private cremations monthly, and vets from around the county can send anywhere from 12 a week.
“There”s nothing to hide,” Davidson said. “We do everything we can to show them it”s their pet,” adding, “there”s always someone who”s doubtful.”
At this point, it”s difficult to verify the remains Winn received are Ziggy. “I had a hard time with it at first, but know I know my cat”s spirit is around, his ashes aren”t him.”
The comforting thought has put her at ease, but she said she will not return to LCAC for future services.
