Why Cherished Pets Funeral Home?

Dr. Ruth Ann’s father, Bobby Dean Wood, founder of Walnut Lawn Funeral Home, initially had the vision to expand to include a pet crematory, but retired in 2012 before he accomplished his dream. When Dr. Ruth Ann became the second-generation owner of Walnut Lawn Funeral Home, working full-time in the funeral industry and with her family pets, she found the need, personal calling and mission herself to expand professional aftercare services for pets and their family members in the SW MO area. Dr. Ruth Ann believed similar types of aftercare services for pets are needed just as aftercare for human family members she offers at Walnut Lawn Funeral Home

Through her extensive research, Dr. Ruth Ann revealed a significant lack of pet aftercare options for pet family members in the SW MO area. She found that area veterinarians primarily facilitated and offered minimal direct cremation services, leading to a lack of transparency and knowledge among pet families about the cremation process and crematory facilities utilized.

To address the lack of significant professional pet aftercare services for pet families and to allow veterinarians to focus their time on providing pet medical care, Cherished Pets Funeral Home and Crematory was established in the summer of 2024 with a wide range of options including:

• Experienced, Professionally Licensed Funeral Directors
• Certified Pet Funeral Directors and Specialists
• State-of-the-art facility Open Regular Business Hours
• Home or Veterinarian Removals in Clean and Enclosed Vans
• Real-time Pet Tracking to Trust You Are Receiving Your Pet’s Remains
• True Individual and Private Cremations – One Pet Per Chamber
• Witness Cremations
• Merchandise Show Room
• Burial Arrangements at a Local Pet Cemetery or Home
• Remembrance Services in our Chapel or Beautiful Open-air Prayer Garden
• Comprehensive Bereavement Support Programs
• Online Planning and Payment System
• Preplanning

Cherished Pets Funeral Home and Crematory is a member of several prestigious and nationally-recognized pet aftercare associations for continued professional learning, growth, and accreditation.

After many years of research and planning, Dr. Ruth Ann’s dream was realized in the summer of 2024 with the opening of Cherished Pets Funeral Home and Crematory, the first of its kind aftercare facility for SW MO pet families. Along with her husband, Richard, their family has gone above and beyond to meet the needs and provide not only an exceptional, State-of-the-Art Facility, but also professional aftercare services, and compassionate, experienced and licensed/certified pet specialists.