The Springers have dedicated their family business to help grieving pet owners find the perfect final resting place for four-legged family members.
“We are here to help pet parents because there is really not a lot of places out there to go and figure out the mourning and grieving process for pets,” Laura Springer said. “It’s normal—you love your pet, and they loved you unconditionally.”
Fond Memories Pet Cemetery & Crematorium spans about 9 acres of land off Seventh Street near Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Conroe. In 1997, Laura and her husband, Stan, took ownership of the business when its previous owner decided to retire. At the time the family was living in Ohio, and neither Laura nor Stan had experience in the funeral home industry—for humans or for pets. But that was not an obstacle for Laura.
“Retail was my forte, and I just enjoy working with people and helping them,” she said. “Basically, we wanted to run a service-oriented business.”
Now the couple’s sons are involved in the business in which they grew up watching their parents work. Casey Springer said most of Fond Memories’ business comes from cremation, and only a few pet parents choose to bury their animals on site. For these private cremations, the Fond Memories staff picks up pets from a veterinarian’s office and bring the pet’s ashes back to the office for pet owners to pick up.
Another common service is in-home euthanasia. Fond Memories partners with local veterinarians—because the process must be performed by a licensed professional—who visit pet owners’ homes to put the animal to sleep. Then, Fond Memories takes care of everything that comes after.
“People do it for the same reason as they do home hospice care,” Casey said. “It is comforting for their pet and them to be in their home.”
Pet owners with animals buried on-site are given keys and the keycode to the grounds and can visit anytime, but customers can only visit during operating hours on weekdays when staff is available.
Pet owners who choose cremation receive a complimentary urn, but there are a variety of upgrades available, including stone, metal and ceramic urns. There are also pet keepsakes and clay paw print impressions. Keepsakes include a variety of cremation jewelry, keychains and lockets.
The Springers provide services to the entire Greater Houston area, Laura said, and will travel to any corner of the metropolitan area to serve a family.
“If people call and need our help, we are there for them and do everything in our power to make sure they are taken care of,” she said.
1102 S. Seventh St., Conroe 855-906-2999 www.fondmemoriespcc.com Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Closed Sat.-Sun.