10/07/2026
Statement from Sarah Probert, Practice Owner, regarding Animal Funeral Services
I completely understand your concerns and I am as horrified as you with the news.
I can only say with absolute honesty I was totally unaware of the situation.
I sympathise with how owners are feeling and the questions being raised, but I have no answers. I trusted a company to provide a service. They let me, and all my clients and beloved pets, down. I am angry, frustrated and upset.
I even used them to individually cremate my own pets last September along with many over the years.
When I set up BVC in December 2003 I was working at a previous practice who had used AFS themselves for several years and I had already met and spoken to Rachael but not at her premises, at the local practice. Therefore it seemed the obvious choice for us to use a local company (bearing in mind at that time they were the most local I had first hand experience of).
This was the same reasoning for choosing all of my suppliers and sub contracted service providers.I never inspected the premises or visited as I trusted that they were licenced and from experience were good.
I was told at that time they had a Garden of remembrance for ashes of mass cremation. (This was the case I believe until the law changed due to environmental regulations, but I was only made aware of this in the last couple of weeks)
For 20+ years we have always had great service from them and I never had any reason to believe there were any problems.
Then about 12m ago we started having a slower service from them. No mistakes just taking longer to collect and return ashes.
When I spoke to Rachael she explained that her partner had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. As a small business with a husband with MS myself I sympathised and made the decision to continue with them.
As I said, I have had many of my own pets cremated with AFS as well as hundreds of staff and client pets and I was always pleased with the service up to this point so gave Rachael the benefit of the doubt but explained we needed a good service for our clients and would be monitoring the situation. Unfortunately this didn’t happen and we terminated our contract with them and moved to a different crematorium. Prestwood Pet Crematorium Stourbridge.
At no point whilst we used AFS, did I suspect anything like the photos I’ve seen. Had I seen that I would certainly have moved elsewhere immediately.
I have not visited AFS personally and I regret this, but as other vets have said we trusted that they were being inspected by local council environment agencies and APHA regularly.
Without making excuses there are several service providers we use, laboratories, suppliers, referral
Centres, and I have not visited any of them personally.
Do I wish I had with AFS? Absolutely.
However we have no idea how long this has been going on. I could have visited last year and it all been fine.
I feel so let down on behalf of everyone who’s pet I entrusted to this company to perform a sensitive service of cremation.
I’m not sure what else I can say except I am so very sorry.
I am also aware that social media is awash with comments. I am desperately trying not to get into a trial by SM. Whilst I appreciate a comment may seem like a good idea, it is painful to see a business I have put my heart and soul into for so many years be destroyed for trusting someone else and them doing the damage.
The comments on the previous posts have been cruel and painful to view and I would urge you to be kind to our staff should you wish to contact us, as they are all as upset as I am.
I would hope that my clients know me well enough to know that I would never ever knowingly have used this service had I have had any idea of what the situation was at AFS.
Should anyone wish to contact me personally I will be happy to speak with them.
Regards
Sarah
