FROM LOVE TO LIVELIHOOD

Having a pet can be a very rewarding experience. Pets can help release you from loneliness and depression. They make you smile and laugh when they are around. They are always happy to see you and can make you feel relaxed even though you've had a bad day. Pets also love you unconditionally (well, at least dogs do). Anyone with a dog or a cat at home can attest to this.

 

However, nothing lasts forever. And one day your companions will finally cash in their chips. The loss of a pet can be a torturous experience.

But did you know that dead dogs can generate big business?

Chomsamon Kanchanapat comes from a family of woodworkers and is carrying on the family tradition - but in a way that her ancestors would probably never have imagined.

"When I first mentioned my idea of fancy pet coffins to family members and friends, they replied with amused doubtfulness," says Ms Chomsamon.

 

Pui was Ms Chomsamon's first four-legged friend. Pui's death made her very sad so she wanted to do something for Pui, who had been a faithful friend. With her woodworking skills, she decided to make a small coffin and put Pui's body inside. After the cremation, she kept some of Pui' ashes in a box to memorialise her longtime companion.

"Pui's loss has inspired me to set up this business. I'm now trying to turn the venture into a viable enterprise."

Ms Chomsamon came up with the idea of pet coffins in 2003. After two years of research and planning, she began designing coffins herself. Soon afterwards, she applied for a patent for new custom-built coffins. It took about three years to take out a patent on her products.

 

As Ms Chomsamon realised that her products would attract the attention of pet lovers, she promoted them through pantip.com. and brochures. She also developed a website, http://www.dogdiddone.com, in 2007 to sell her products.

After one month of advertising, she received her first order.

To increase sales channels, she's now marketing through pet stores and veterinary clinics. Surprisingly, she;s found that word of mouth has been the most effective way to grow her business.

Ms Chomsamon's products include hexagon-shaped coffins, with five different sizes ranging in price from 1,300 to 4,600 baht. They come in seven colours including pink, cream, orange, mustard, lime, turquoise and blue.

 

For pet owners who don't want to spend a lot of money, there is a traditional coffin on offer for 800 baht.

The interior of the coffin features a small pillow on top of a soft mattress. Each one includes a wreath.

Made by skillful carpenters, the plywood coffins are crafted with careful attention to contour and colour. Spray paints and water colours are used for the painting process. These coffins are suitable for both in-ground burial and cremation. It takes about two days on average to finish one.

"Because our coffins are handmade from natural materials, each of them varies slightly in appearance," explains Ms Chomsamon.

In addition to a wide variety of coffins, Ms Chomsamon provides transfer services for burial and cremation.

Since she thought that some pet owners would want to keep the ashes of their beloved pets, she added urns and memorials with engraved photos of the dogs or cats in 2008.

Ms Chomsamon's business has grown by leaps and bounds. In the first year, she sold only five coffins. Orders gradually rose to 70 in 2006, then to 120 in 2008. She has received a positive response from pet owners, mainly single women. The smallest sized coffin is the best-selling item. The urns and memorials have not proven as popular.

"I believe that if I do what I like then money will follow," she concludes.