The Technique Behind Much Of What We Do: Sandblasting

Anyone who has witnessed sandblasting first-hand will know that magical feeling... the moment the piece of stone or glass beneath the screen is transformed from a simple, plain object into a detailed work-of-art with real dimension and value. But simple as the process appears to be, there's a lot more to this technique than first meets the eye. With some engineering processes it's all about numbers and levels, but that's never been the case with monumental sandblasting, which is a separate entity in itself and considered by many to be a kind of art-form. Instead, to create the granite, marble and slate memorials sold online through Pets At Rest, company founder Stuart Gebbie uses a combination of hand-eye-coordination, skill and intuition learned over time... and hundreds of pieces transported up and down the country to many happy people!

For those who are unfamiliar with sandblasting, the basic premise behind the idea, when it first appeared, was to accelerate the natural process of erosion. The first machine was developed in 1870 by a now-infamous Benjamin Tilghman, whose objective was to remove paint and rust from the surface of various materials – something which, up until then, had been a virtually impossible task and a thing of laborious manual effort. Later on, some 34 years following this, sandblasting received a new injection of engineering mastery. Thomas Pangborn was the name of the man who forced sandblasting machinery into its crucial next stage of development. By harnessing the power of compressed air and using a specially developed grinder particle, sandblasting quickly became sleeker, easier to control and a viable solution for etching relief designs into all kinds of surfaces which before had proved impenetrable. Another huge reason for sandblasting was obvious, even in its inception: instead of having to carve lettering, a person could apply the nozzle and compressed air and bore into the surface of the object with an even appearance that would take many hours to carve by hand. Hence, monumental masonry was quick to embrace the technique.

Ever since then, sandblasting has proved enormously successful as a means of turning an otherwise bland piece of stone into a much more interesting object. Additionally, technology has made vast improvements on the technique, with everything from quartz and silicon carbide to walnut shells being used as grinder particles.

Nowadays, sandblasting machinery is more advanced than ever before, but despite the huge leaps in progress which the technique has enjoyed – making machinery more affordable and reducing the risks posed by industrial accidents – it's still a medium which requires a large amount of skill to master. Each and every sandblasted memorial produced by Stuart is a masterpiece on its own. Just have a look at some of these great-looking designs and see for yourself!

Questions & Answers

A selection of our finest pet keepsakes, urns and classic products. Click the image to see them all

We get a lot of questions here at Pets At Rest. While we are happy to answer emails and telephone-calls until we are blue in the face, we also have to get on with creating stunning, cutting-edge memorials, urns and other things! So that's where our questions & answers blog post comes in. Read on to see some answers to some of the most common (and not so common) questions we get asked most weeks:

Do you do anything other than pet memorials? I'm not sure that's for me

A pet memorial isn't for everyone, we know that. Lack of space, issues with drainage and simple personal preference can mean a headstone isn't suitable. For those people we have a whole range of other options -- things like coffins, urns for pet ashes and even pet tributes made out of glass (along with pet stands to raise yours off the floor). Better still, if you haven't got a garden then that doesn't mean you have to feel left-out!

Can I have a photo put onto my memorial? If this is possible, can you tell me: are they good quality?

I want the image to really look like my beloved pet

In the past, we've seen some shocking photographs on pet memorials, so don't worry, this is not something we are a part of! In fact, our photo memorials use the latest technology to create an image that really looks like your pet. The quality is also good, allowing it to last for a long time without fading.

In terms of application, company founder Stuart Gebbie has been creating amazing pet memorials for many years. He studied art & design and also trained under the watchful eye of a master craftsman, so you know that he does it because he loves it -- not just because it's his job. The result is that Stuart understands how important attention-to-detail is when it comes to this kind of thing. With every memorial order that arrives on his desk, he spends the required time to make sure that the photo is as well-crafted as it should be.

I have a suggestion for you -- should I leave a comment on your blog, or should I telephone/email?

By all means feel free to telephone or email. Alternatively, we now have a special feedback area set-up for you, so why not drop by and leave your suggestion, comment or thoughts about how we can better our services? The feedback area serves a dual purpose, of course...if you are wondering what people are saying about the work we have done, then that's the place to go to!

Are the memorials easy to install?

They absolutely are. Just get in touch and we'll explain everything.

I'd like to keep in touch with latest updates, news and special offers...how can I do that?

If you view any one of our social network sites you will see all our updates, news and special offers!

Got an idea for a pet memorial? In that case, we'd love to hear it

We don't want to show-off too much (honest!) but here are a few facts about Pets At Rest:

1: we love what we do, but our business is nothing without suggestions and feedback from you.

2: we've been creating the finest pet memorials for years, but we don't only do memorials. We can also offer you a variety of urns and other ways to remember your beloved pet(s).

3: we're really very proud of our new photo memorial service. A black granite model, complete with intricate image, costs in the region of £65 upwards, depending on size and other things. If you'd like a rustic sandstone pet memorial with image then this is available for just under £96. You can see a range of what we do by clicking here.

4: we love challenges. Have an idea which nobody else has been able to help you with? Then give us a call us on 01638 750 066 or email us and we'll see what we can do to make it happen once and for all!

5: we don't like pets dying any more than anyone else does, but sadly it is a fact of life. What we can do, though, is help you through the process. Our system has been designed with your feelings in mind, and our aim is to create a durable, long-lasting memorial for you which you can look at and feel proud of owning.

6: have you found that another company is doing memorials cheaper? Then you can always come to us and ask us to match it. We can't promise we can always do this -- some photo memorials require more work than others -- but we can promise we will listen to you and consider your point of view.

Have some feedback for us about something you feel we could do better? Then please do feel free to leave it with us at our website www.petsatrest.co.uk

We don't just do memorials for cats & dogs!

Everyone knows someone who has lost a pet, and with so many people owning cats and dogs, we're always hearing the sad news of a beloved pet passing.

But what about all the other animals people own? Where do you find a memorial for your horse, for example?

Here of course!  Since the beginning we've been looking after the legacies of all kinds of animals -- and we do mean all kinds. Here are a few things we've done in the past and we guarantee that at least one of them will surprise you.

1: Headstones for reptiles: believe it or not, people have come to us and asked us to create fitting memorials for lizards, snakes, mischievous turtles and thoughtful tortoises.

2: Pets At Rest have also produced headstones for ferrets and rats, as well as chinchillas, too.

3: We've done great-looking urns for Cockatoos also.

In fact, you name it and we have probably done it at some point. Not only that but we also do...

* Photo pet memorials

* Rustic stone pet memorials

* Bespoke text pet memorials

* Pet tribute keepsakes and pet coffins

Feel free to have a look around and if you need us, you know where we are.

Best wishes,

Team Pets At Rest.

Pets At Rest: Circular Images Now Available On Some Memorials!

Click the picture to see more of our products!

10 years ago, if a customer wanted a memorial for their beloved pet then they didn't exactly have much choice. Nowadays, though, things are very different...with the explosion of the internet, more or less anything you can think of has become commonplace (although it's fair to say that some pet memorial services are better than others!).

Since the beginning, we've done our best to add to what's possible by giving you, the customer, products with genuine flair and real creative innovation! And the latest idea we have is something that should interest many of our customers.

In the past, we've only been able to offer square images. While these have been very popular, we recently realised that it'd be even better if we could offer round images too. And so we started researching how this could be done. Now, after testing the system fully, we're proud to offer it, so please do get in touch on this site's Contact page if you'd like to find out more!

As a result of this cool new idea, it's led to the creation of a few new products in our rustic range of headstones and pet memorials. We're currently sorting these out but should be back soon with an update on this, so be sure to return.

Thanks,

Team Pets At Rest

Pets At Rest: We Don't Approve Your Artwork Until You're 100% Happy!

100% Approved Artwork

Here at Pets at Rest, we're well aware that there are other people doing monuments, urns and headstones for cats, dogs and even horses. That's business for you! But while that may be true, we do feel that there are a few unique things we do that not everyone else does. One of those things is approving your artwork first before we start creating your piece, and giving you complete control. There are a few reasons for this, but the top 3 are as follows:

1) By getting your final approval before we go ahead with anything -- even before we polish the stone and prepare it for engraving - you end up with a legend to your pet that's identical to what you first had in mind. And the difference is enormous: some companies will only give you one chance to make changes, whereas here at Pets at Rest we're happy to make changes until you're 100% happy. It just makes sense to us.

2) People tend to change their mind about artwork more than once, and we don't believe they should have to pay for it - after all, when you're doing something that's a little unusual and important, you're bound to find yourself umming and agghing! In other words, our service is designed with real people in mind, so when real people change their mind we're only too happy to go with it rather than against it!

3) By telling you when we're ready to go ahead, you get one last chance to change things - it can be vital...the difference between something you can cherish forever and something which constantly reminds you that you should have intervened. There's more to it than that, of course. Another good reason for us keeping you in the picture is more basic: people have different opinions, and sometimes people change their minds about the photo or font being used. This often means that after seeing the first design, family members will discuss it and come to different conclusions. Our service is designed so that there is time to come to a compromise about the design, instead of rushing it through and ending up with a headstone that could have been so much better.

Any questions? Feel free to ask them on this blog and our team will get back to you!

Thanks
Team PetsAtRest

Pets at Rest: always happy to hear from you!

Here at Pets at Rest, we get a lot of emails and phone calls from people wondering how we can help them. We're always happy to discuss ideas and talk things through, and this includes everything from:

1. the type of stone you'd like
2. message you'd like on your memorial
3. font and design work

...AND we also do urns too! In fact, we have lots of products on offer, so feel free to drop by and peruse our new website.

Website update: the new Pets at rest site now features a cool newfeedback page!

Engraved Pet Memorials

Great new pet memorials: something we do every day, as we try and progress the pet memorial to as high a standard as possible!

Website updates aren't always fun: much of the time it means a lot of technical work and we'd rather be producing pet memorials, urns and the like using cutting-edge technology! (We use fine Italian marble, slate and other great stones which lend themselves to what we like to think of as just as much a fine-art as a job.)

But sometimes it's more fun. Like with the feedback page we recently put up!

Here are a few great reasons why the feedback page can help you:

1. If you have always wondered why you can never find a pet memorial in a certain shape, size or colour then why not go ahead and ask us here?
2. Do you have a comment about the website? Drop it in and we'll have a look and get back to you. This may be about functionality or it may be about something you feel we have missed. In either case, we're constantly striving to do our best, and make it as easy as possible for you to order your pet memorial.
3. Have you bought a pet memorial from us already? Well, if you'd like to let us know what you thought then we would very much appreciate that. It doesn't have to be an enormous message, it might just be a few lines which focus on the things you feel we did right or which could possibly have been done better.
4. Want to know what other people think? A number of comments are already up, so do feel free to have a browse through!

Check back for more blog posts in the near future, including some interesting guest posts!

This week's guest post: iPet Memorial Lite -- an innovative solution tothe online pet memorial

As we've often said here on the Pets at Rest blog, Twitter (please follow us!) and social networking can be a wonderful thing. Not only does it allow us to spread the word about our products, but it means that every single day we connect with more people who do similar things to us; things which we both admire and think are progressing the industry in a new, exciting direction. If you didn't catch our last blog, it was with Julie who runs one of the UKs most popular pet  radio stations: Dog Cast Radio.

This week, though, it's the turn of iPet Memorial Lite -- a great new online way of sharing that special bond we all have with our pets. Using the app, which was designed and created by Bill Gulbrandsen of Harvest Integrity Systems, Inc (US), pet owners can now take the legacy of their pet with them wherever they go. In the words of Bill himself, an established developer: "I am excited about getting iPet Memorial out to people that have experienced the loss of a pet.  I think that it is an awesome way to allow people to share about that special bond between owner and pet, as well as being therapeutic in the grieving process when a pet is lost."

Presently, the app -- approved just last week for the App store -- is only available on Apple devices, although we don't see that causing too many problems (aside from me, everyone seems to be using one or have access to an ipad or iphone, right?). Seeing as I wasn't able to take a look at the app myself, I phoned Stuart Gebbie -- the owner of Pets at Rest and creator of some mighty fine memorials in granite, slate and finest Italian marble -- and asked him to do so for me and give me some feedback on what he thought.

First up, getting hold of the app is really easy. Just go to the App store and search for iPet Memorial Lite (free version). To access the paid version you'll need to purchase it as normal, and then you'll be sent a unique passcode which needs to be entered into the text field of the redeem page (get to this by clicking the Redeem button on the Featured page in the app store).

In terms of functionality, you can think of this app as having all the same qualities of a standard pet memorial. First up, you'll be able to upload a favourite photo of your pet, and secondly you'll be asked to enter all the information which would be present on a physical headstone: the name of your pet, it's birth and death date, and a number of other pieces of key information (such as special thoughts and favourite memories). As you can see by clicking the image above, Bill and co have much more in the works, including more apps for a wide range of pets.

While it's true to say that this isn't the same as having a physical headstone or memorial you can hold and touch, it's also a fact that there are a number of reasons why this should prove popular. For example, as a way of sharing memories between family members who live in different cities or even countries, this app offers benefits which a standard memorial will find difficult to compete with (although we'd love it if you'd have a look at the Pets at Rest site and see what we have to offer customers!).

New guest post now up: Julie from Dog Cast Radio, part 2!

Julie from Dog Cast Radio talks about her experiences with starting her venture. If you missed it, scroll down the page or go here for Part 1

5: Can you say how you got involved with The Dog News Show?

I interviewed Debbie Connolly at Crufts in 2011 and we got on very well and made each other laugh. We stayed in touch and Debbie was a guest on DogCast Radio several times; she’s an expert on dogs and has trained and rescued them for thirty years. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience and a wicked sense of humour, and she’s very down to earth like me. Debbie had been looking for an opportunity to podcast but wanted a partner to co-host, when we met again at Crufts 2012 we had such a good time together, that when the issue of a joint podcast came up, we were both eager to go ahead and create it. The Dog News Show is a weekly podcast where Debbie and I discuss dog related news stories with candour and humour.  We have talked about everything from doggy marriages to very serious dog attacks; dangerous dogs and dog poo seem to come up a lot as well!

6: How does being a co-host differ from running your own show. Do you enjoy the experience more or less, or is it hard to compare?

The two podcasts I do are very different in style, as The Dog News Showis Debbie and me debating, while DogCast Radio is a magazine style show. I enjoy both. DogCast Radio enables me to meet and talk to a wide variety of people and I’ve learned a lot over the years. I write it and host it, do all the editing and decide on content so it’s very much my baby – although Anthony’s technical and IT knowledge makes up at least 50% of the show’s success. The Dog News Show is a collaboration, with Debbie and me choosing our own stories to highlight and talk about. It is lovely having someone I get on with so well and who makes me laugh so much, but who also has such an extensive knowledge of the dog world to work with.

What I love about podcasting is it’s so immediate – you record it, you may edit it, then you upload it and hey presto it’s out with the audience. Nobody interferes or tells you what you can or can’t do so it’s very free and flexible.

7: Lastly, what advice would you give to anyone out there who wants to start their own business venture like this? Are there are mistakes you made which you would urge others to avoid, for example?

One of my favourite inspirational quotes is “If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.” which Walt Disney said. I’m a great believer that you should try and achieve whatever you feel motivated to do; if necessary break it down into manageable steps – what can you go and do today that will take you a step close to your dream – and then get up and get going! It really doesn’t matter if other people think it’s sensible, as long as you believe it’s what you want to do.

I was very lucky that my husband and I had complimentary skills, and I think getting the right person to collaborate with is a big help, and via the Internet finding like-minded people to work with has never been easier.

Don’t be afraid to ask – I’ve been really surprised by the amount people I was braced for a rejection from who said yes. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – I made loads! Once I did a lengthy breed profile with a lady in Australia only to discover I had recorded myself and not her! Luckily she graciously agreed to do the whole thing again. The trick is to learn from mistakes, then forget them and move onwards and upwards.

New guest post now up: Julie from Dog Cast Radio, part 1!

Here at Pets at Rest, we're interested in absolutely everything pet related -- not just celebrating their lives once they are gone. And one of the things we like best is discovering interesting stories we think need to be shared. As a result of this, we recently made the decision to start contacting people out there about doing guest posts, and Julie from Dog Cast Radio stood out as a prime candidate! She was happy to oblige, and the resulting two-part interview should tell you everything you need to know...

1: How did Dog Cast Radio come about? What was the inspiration for it?

I waited until I was in my thirties to get my first dog, Buddy, because that was when the time was right; I was working from home and my daughter was old enough to understand that a dog was not a play thing, and must be respected. Once I got Buddy I would fall into conversation with other dog owners I met out walking their dog, and this would delay me. Eventually my husband got fed up with having to wait for me, and suggested we put my communication skills to good use. Anthony knew podcasting was about to become more popular (this was back in 2005) and so we united his technical knowledge with my ceaseless talking and enthusiasm for dogs, and DogCast Radio was born!

2: Can you fill us in on some of your most unusual stories?

We have had covered some quite unusual stories over the years – like the kick boxing Black Russian terrier. The dog’s owner was a martial arts trainer and noticed the terrier used his paws  on the back door  rather than barking when he wanted to go out to the toilet, so he developed this behaviour into kick boxing.

A listener called Sarah contacted us to say she had taught her Bichon Frise to sneeze on command, and I was so taken with the story that we ended up interviewing her, and putting video online of her dog doing his party piece.

We also had an interview with Sandy Hall who owned Gibson who was at that time the record holding tallest dog in the world. We also met the oldest dog in the world.

3: Would you like to say something to people about what it's like to do something you really love? I'm sure this will seem like a dream job to many of the pet lovers reading this.

I love dogs and I love writing so to me I have the best job I possibly could. And it’s all thanks to my dog Buddy. It’s very rewarding to have a job that is so enjoyable, lets me set my own schedule and allows me to work from home and spend time with my dogs.

Hosting DogCast Radio and writing for dog magazines has enabled me to meet some wonderful people both in the UK and all around the world, that I would never had met otherwise.

I’ve been incredibly lucky, it’s been great fun and my favourite part is getting feedback from listeners and readers.

4: Anything else you'd like to say about your radio station? For example how it has grown and evolved and where you see the future of it going?

When we first started DogCast Radio podcasting was in it’s infancy and we had to explain to people what the term podcast meant. Now it’s more mainstream and also more respected and accepted. We have learned as we’ve gone along and being accepted as part of the wider media has been gratifying. The Internet empowers people and it’s been thrilling to be part of that – for example when there was widespread opposition to an advert that depicted a dog left out in the snow in an open doorless kennel, we made a Facebook page to provide a focus for complaints. The page attracted over 1,000 members in the first 24 hours, and the advert was changed in response. Of course, that campaign was just a part of a whole spectrum of animal welfare issues that we help support, and I’d like us to  support rescue dogs even more in the future.

One of the exciting things about new media is that nobody knows what the future is, but I’ll make the most of every opportunity that comes our way. I love sharing my enthusiasm for dogs with other dogs lovers, and knowing that I am improving life for some dogs. I recently got an email that made me cry from  a lady who said DogCast Radio had made her re-examine the way she treated her dogs, and she gives them far more time and attention now.

I want to continue talking to expert, authors, trainers, and fellow pet dog owners and spreading the word about how truly glorious the love of a dog is.

New guest posts coming soon!

For anyone who doesn't quite buy into the whole Twitter thing -- and we do understand, because we were a bit like this! -- we have this message: Twitter can be amazing! Since we've been using it we've gained numerous new followers and had a lot of interest in both the blog and the Pets at Rest website.

In the coming weeks we'll be featuring several businesses and services which we think our visitors will love, the first of which is Julie over at Dog Cast Radio, who has all kinds of interesting things to say.

So watch this space!

Are we exploiting our pets? Or is it just a bit of fun?

Here at Pets at Rest, we may spend nearly all our time creating the very best granite, marble and slate memorials, but that doesn't mean we don't keep an eye on what's happening in the rest of the pet world! And one thing we have noticed more and more of in recent years is pets wearing funny clothes and looking a little bit silly, as well as a boom in online shops offering dog and cat costumes etc...not only that but pets wearing jewellery and all kinds of other items more commonly associated with catwalk models and A-List celebrities! (In fact, we could name a few cats and dogs which are probably more famous than some celebrities, but we won't. We're nice like that.)

Britain's Got Talent was something different, however. We really enjoyed seeing a dog up on the big screen doing its stuff and putting the human competitors to shame! Exploitation? In this case, we don't think so.

So, what's the future of pets and jewellery and strange costumes? Good question, anything could happen (let's just hope we don't see anyone dressing a German Shepherd up in meat like Lady Gaga any time soon...not that the meat would last long, of course, but that is hardly the point!).

Pets at Rest: the firm who does it differently!

Click the picture to see some great deals

Got an idea for a unique pet memorial? Well, just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean we can't achieve it (don't worry, the poetry stops there for now!). In fact, Pets at Rest specialises in the following things:

1. The finest photo-engraving known to cats, dogs, and even...scorpions? Yes, we said scorpions. We understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, and our urns and legacy pieces are designed for all of them.
2. Working with the customer on every order, to get it exactly right: that means we send you a proof before we start doing the work. A lot of companies don't do this but we just think it makes perfect sense.
3. Affordable options: we stock a whole range of memorials for all budgets, so why not visit the site and see what the fuss is about?

A quick post to say a big Thanks to all our followers!

Click the logo to see our brand-new website!

We'd be the first to say that although we've been in the pet memorial industry for some time now, Twitter and social networking is slightly newer to us! We weren't sure how our voyage into this aspect of the internet would go, but after a few weeks we're pleased to say that we've had lots of lovely messages and kind re-tweets from people all over the globe.

We really do appreciate each and every one, so thankyou very much for the support!

Need a pet memorial? We cater for all kinds of pets, large and small. Visit our pet memorials website for more detail.

This week's blog: all kinds of memorials

Are you a new visitor to this blog? Well, if so then you may want to head on over to our new website and get an idea of what we're about. Just a short blog this week, and this one is about all the various things we can do. A few examples are below:

1) memorials for cats and dogs in various stones! We can offer you amazing slate, the best Italian marble and all kinds of interesting formats. You can choose from square or rounded, upright or flat. Whatever you choose, we ensure the very best result by working through every stage with you.


2) pet memorials for horses, snakes, reptiles...you name it, we have probably done it! Got a question? You'll more than likely find an answer to it on our website.

3) we're not ONLY about memorials, we also write general-interest blog posts too and soon we'll also be doing guest posts on some really interesting companies!

What do you love most about your pet?

Pets are amazing, and that's exactly why we set-up our business: we were sick and tired of seeing people make pet memorials that our pets wouldn't have been happy with (in fact, we know a few dogs that would have barked their heads off for hours!).

Another thing which happens every week here at Pets at Rest is emails...emails which aren't just about pet memorials, but about pets in general and all the amazing things they do and say (in their own special language, of course). Don't get us wrong, we work as hard as anyone when it comes to our business, but we also like to have a bit of banter with our customers when we can as well!

Here's 2 of the best recent emails we have had. And if you want to leave a comment about your pet experiences, please do below! Note: all names have been changed to protect the identity of pets and owners.

1) Deborah from Wales liked the way her tortoise -- Terry the tortoise -- would always run into the living room whenever the Eastenders theme-tune came on. It scared the dog (Harry) but made for good entertainment.

2) David from Staffordshire is always competing for the arm-chair in his reading-room with Sarah the Jack Russell. You'll be familiar with tales of dogs and cats stealing owners' seats, but this tale -- and David was adamant about this -- was particularly gripping. As gripping as a bestselling novel, maybe! Because every single time David tried to move Sarah from her seat, Sarah would give him a powerful stare, raise her eyebrows slightly and emit a low- dangerous-sounding growl which was a little bit scary. OK, so David was convinced she would never bite (and she definitely loved him, because she never left his side) but it still made David feel a little bit anxious sometimes. Still, he loves her anyway, and you have to, because pets are brilliant, even if they do steal your favourite seat.

Pets at Rest: at the cutting-edge of quality pet memorial products, and here's why...

Our new pet memorials website just launched! And yes, we are EXCITED. Want to read about all the great changes we've made and all the innovative new products we're making the bench-mark for quality pet-memorials?

And now, allow us to take you on a journey...

Imagine a perfect world: think about something happening in the best possible way and it happens without any effort whatsoever, leading to the ideal result. Or, perhaps, when you order something online you know exactly what you are getting before you order, as isn't always the case when buying some personalised products. In this perfect world, when you open that box up, there are no nasty surprises. Instead of saying “I wish they'd done this...” you smile and say, with more enthusiasm than you can ever remember having: “this is exactly what I wanted. They have done a fantastic job!”


OK, so a perfect world is a dream we all have, and in reality that's never going to happen (well, at least not in our life-times!). But does that mean that when you order your pet memorial product it has to be difficult, dull, or an experience to get over quick rather than one to take time with and enjoy? We certainly don't think so, which is why we're all about doing the following things in a pro-active way that doesn't cause you extra stress at a time which we know is already sensitive:

1: we're all about going to great lengths to work with the customer on their pet memorial. OK, so we're a business, but we don't see why we can't look after every customer's individual needs. Here at Pets at Rest, careful thought and attention goes into every single order. And it is YOUR order, after all. We listen to you and what you want, and then we do our best to make it happen just as you envisaged. It may sound like a simple philosophy but we're finding it really works!

2: we're all about art and graphics, aesthetics and beauty. For some reason we can't quite work out, for the last fifty years or so, the pet memorial industry has been much too stagnant for our liking: too few designs on offer, with the art-work often applied crudely in a way that we just can't be doing with (we must stress that this isn't always the case, it's just that we feel there is a huge difference between art and just a product which anyone can make). Which is why the most careful care and attention is applied to all pet memorial products we take on. If you're not happy then we're not happy, and if that's the case...why are we in business, exactly?


3: we're all about giving our customers a wide range of choice. We can't deny that it'd be easier to present merely a limited scope of options, but easier doesn't always mean the best product, does it? With every memorial we do, we discuss with the customer how and where they want lettering placed, how big it should be and how much space the photograph of their beloved pet should take up. Better still, we don't just produce the product without consulting the customer after we have finished laying out the initial design. We always seek the approval of the customer before production, and, that way, if they have any other suggestions to make we can change things before the piece is created by our expert craftspeople.


4: we're all about personality and style, flow and smiles. We're all about one-off products which you won't find anywhere else, which are designed solely with your pet in mind -- horse, cat, dog or pig. Basically, we like to think of Pets at Rest as a company which genuinely cares about the legacy we leave behind. It's worked wonderfully for us so far, and, thanks to the new website – more products, better design and even a real-time Chat function – we're confident that this will carry on well into the future!


AND, if you didn't know yet, over at the new site we're running a great new promotion...quote the special code petmemorials and you'll receive a 25% discount on anything for an entire month!

Before we leave you, don't forget to read our latest post all about the new website. And, if you're on Twitter and Facebook then so are we, so let's connect and see where things take us.

BREAKING NEWS: Brand-new Pets at Rest site just launched!

If you've visited the Pets at Rest website in the past couple of years, then hopefully you won't have been disappointed: everything was in place so that new customers and returning customers alike could find what they wanted easily enough. As well as this, every aspect of our service was linked directly to the website – and this blog you're reading now – so that you didn't waste hours trying to find out costs or what we had to offer. We also started using Twitter and Facebook a lot more, and that has proved itself to be a great way to connect with people and keep everyone up-to-date with all our daily happenings – which is what it's all about, don't you think? We like the fact that you can contact us directly if you need to, and we feel that interacting with our customers makes for a much more personal service.


Then again, here at Pets at Rest we don't like to just sit around; we're all about progression, and one of the best ways good progress is made is by listening closely to all the comments we get; we don't think any business can do without it, really. So it was with this combination of feedback and a want to make the site even better for you, the customer, that a new and superior web-site was conceived. It's been a long time coming, and now we can finally say that Pets at Rest has been born again – this time with an even greater emphasis on simplicity and customer service. After all, there are literally millions of confusing and boring websites out there, so when you come to us we want to make you feel perfectly at home in a friendly environment suitable for anyone, no matter what their level of computer literacy. Not to mention make it all easier so that what can be a sad and difficult occasion can be turned around into a worthwhile experience.

Oh, and don't forget that we're also doing a special promotion right now...quote petmemorials on the site and you'll receive an impressive 25% off anything for a month!


And now back to the improvements. Firstly, if you're sick and tired of websites which have no email address (ours is info@petsatrest.co.uk) and designs which are too much hassle to navigate, you won't need to worry about this with our new site. It's clearer and simpler than the last version, at exactly the same address, and the format allows you to peruse all the options available to you within mere seconds. On top of that, we've added rapidly changing images on the homepage so that within just a few moments you get a really good idea of what we can do. Another thing we've done is to add a real-time Chat function in the bottom right of the screen, as well as a latest products section on the bottom right (our white marble range is now even better, so that whatever kind of pet you're looking to create a legacy for -- horse, dog, cat or snake -- you'll be able to find something exactly suitable and within your budget). Additionally, we've enabled customers to sign up to our PR and News subscription service, which many people are doing, and which is getting them all the news as soon as it happens.

That's not where it ends, of course, because behind the scenes of Pets at Rest our staff have been busily adding yet more products to the ever-expanding range (one which was great before but is now even better!). Now, within just a few minutes of visiting the website you can view Urns and multiple design ideas, so that by the time you're ready to email us with your query, we're all on the same page and looking forward to working together!