The Challenge: Elevating Sub-Standard Care
Catherine Lemoine, a native of Lafayette, has been dedicated to the companion animal industry since 2000. Her career evolved from shelter work to veterinary clinics, where she was exposed to the deplorable state of pet cremation services in the early 2000s. At that time, cremation was often handled by a municipal facility where freezers were overflowing, remains were sometimes disposed of improperly, and there was a complete lack of dignity, service, or options for grieving pet parents.
After helping open a local crematory in 2013, Catherine gained hands-on experience and became familiar with the higher standards and affiliate software offered by Pet Passages®. However, her workplace was eventually acquired by a corporate competitor, Gateway, which laid off employees and moved all operations 200 miles away.
Unemployed during the pandemic, Catherine witnessed the community’s frustration with low-quality, impersonal service. She realized that her lifelong affinity for the human-animal bond and her deep respect for pet parents meant it was her personal calling to intervene and bring a trustworthy, ethical option to Lafayette.
The Solution: A Dedicated Commitment to Excellence
Recognizing that the community deserved better service and options, Catherine approached Mike Harris in early 2022, expressing her unwavering commitment to opening a Pet Passages® franchise. Her strong reputation, built over years in the local companion animal industry, had already made her a trusted name, demonstrating the potential for immediate success in the area.
Catherine chose the Pet Passages® model specifically because it provided the complete system and infrastructure necessary to guarantee the high level of service she envisioned:
- Ethical Standards: The Pet Passages® system and strict protocols guarantee transparency and dignity, a direct contrast to the inadequate local history.
- Reputation and Trust: Leveraging the Pet Passages® name helped combat the local market preference for cheaper, unethical cremation options offered by entrenched competitors.
- Operational Readiness: Access to established software and procedures meant Catherine could focus entirely on rebuilding community trust and delivering compassionate service.
She officially opened her facility in Lafayette in 2023, determined to transform community expectations.
Corporate Support in Action: Empowering Community Outreach
For Catherine, the support from Pet Passages® was the foundation that allowed her to go above and beyond the standard service offering, thereby creating a true paradigm shift in the community. The robust infrastructure gave her the stability to focus on relationships and outreach:
- B2B Trust: The quality and transparency of the Pet Passages® model helped Catherine overcome initial resistance from local veterinarians, who were accustomed to older, cheaper alternatives.
- Innovative Marketing: The franchise approach supported her innovative marketing and community-building efforts, such as organizing a successful Halloween-themed petting zoo event to reach new customers, which drove significant revenue.
- Mission Execution: The system empowered Catherine to establish free grief support groups for pet parents, organize dignified pet funerals for K9 police officers, and hold community-wide remembrance celebrations (like a bubble release).
Results: Creating a Paradigm Shift in Lafayette
In the short time since opening in 2023, Catherine Lemoine has not only established a successful, high-quality business but has fundamentally changed how the Lafayette community views pet memorialization. Pet parents now expect and demand better options, better service, and respect for their animals—and the community has fully embraced Pet Passages®.
The franchise has demonstrated:
- Elevated Community Expectations: Catherine has created a new standard of care, moving the community away from prioritizing cost to prioritizing dignity and compassion.
- Reputation-Driven Revenue: Her well-established reputation and commitment to the highest quality service brought in significant revenue immediately upon opening.
- Deep Community Engagement: Establishment of free grief support groups and remembrance celebrations solidifies Pet Passages® Lafayette as a pillar of pet parent support in the area.
Catherine Lemoine’s story proves that the Pet Passages® model is the essential partner for passionate owners who are determined to drive ethical standards and provide unparalleled compassion in their local market.
Catherine Lemoine’s Impact
- Launched in 2023, setting a new standard for pet care.
- Created a free support group and community remembrance celebrations.
- Drove a paradigm shift from low-cost to high-quality service in the Lafayette market.