The Marion County Board of County Commissioners has delayed a decision on a proposed pet cremation facility in Reddick after the applicant was unable to answer several operational and environmental questions during a public meeting last week.
On Wednesday, June 17, the board voted unanimously to table a special use permit request for 60 days. Applicants Paula Dempsey and Ted Stone are seeking the permit to convert the former Orange Lake VFW Post 10733, located at 19241 N US Highway 441, into a facility that uses alkaline hydrolysis, or aquamation, for deceased domestic animals and small livestock.
County staff documents describe aquamation as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional flame-based cremation. The process utilizes water, heat, and alkaline chemicals to speed up natural decomposition.
The system, which resembles a large deep freezer, can hold up to 550 pounds of animals at once and neutralizes basic chemicals to leave behind sterile wastewater and bone remains. The bones are then pulverized into a powder and returned to pet owners…