My favorite pet of all time was Frostie. A big white German Shepherd, Frostie came to our family when I was a toddler, and stayed by my side for 13 years.

That kid from “Old Yeller” had nothing on me when Frostie came to the end of his trail. The loss of a pet is in many ways comparable to the loss of our human relationships. In fact, I believe experiencing the loss of a beloved pet as a child prepares us for the eventual loss of our closest loved ones.

I was reminded of Frostie recently when I visited one of the most extraordinary places I’ve ever experienced. The place was Deceased Pet Care Funeral Home and Crematories in Chamblee. Deceased Pet Care is exactly what it sounds like, a funeral home for your pet. Deceased Pet Care was and continues to be the dream and passion of founders Doyle and Maudann Shugart.

Mr. Shugart has been a fixture in the Georgia mortuary business for decades. Back in the early ’70s, he encountered a growing number of people at a loss and completely unprepared to part with and bury their pets. This animal lover saw an opportunity to meet a need and start a business. That’s known today as entrepreneurship.

The Shugarts developed their business over the years, expanded to three locations and established not one but two pet cemeteries. Pretty impressive, huh? Doyle and Maudann weren’t finished. Last August they opened their pride and joy, the largest full-service pet funeral home in the nation. Like many funeral businesses, it’s a family operation. Sons Keith and Kyle and daughter Donna promise and deliver complete customer service.

What does a pet funeral home look like? You truly owe it to yourself to schedule a visit. Much like another great pet care business, Pet Lodge Pet Resort (www.TrustDale.com's choice as the best place to train and kennel your pets, by the way), Deceased Pet Care offers a full line of a la carte services. Let’s say you’re like me, have a 13-year-old Bichon Frise that runs your home, and every member of your family loves it like a kid.

Until I heard about the Shugarts, I had never even considered what my family would do if and when Snow Flake passes. Here in Atlanta, the days of backyard burials are pretty much gone. At Deceased Pet Care, I learned I could have my pet cremated respectfully and in my own time frame for an incredibly reasonable price. If parting with your pet is especially difficult, they provide a full line of funeral services, including a chapel, memorial service, burial chambers, urns and memory products such as paw-print and nose-print keepsakes.

Children face a tough moment when their pets pass away, and Mom and Dad have to first figure out, then explain what they are going to do with Fido’s remains. Deceased Pet Care takes that entire awkward moment away by delivering a range of services you can afford, up to providing a burial plot. In fact, you can actually be buried in the same cemetery as you pet!

I’m crazy about this company because the Shugarts represent what’s best about America. They identified a need, created a product, and like all my certified TrustDale businesses, are committed to unparalleled customer service. Visit them under Pet Care at www.TrustDale.com. Someone once said all dogs go to heaven. I believe that’s true, especially for the dogs that go to Pet Lodge Pet Resort and finish their journey at Deceased Pet Care.

Watch TrustDale TV Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. on Fox 5, and listen to Dale’s advice on WGST AM 640 weekdays on the Rob Johnson Show, and Sundays at 3 p.m. on Trustdale Radio. You can reach Dale at help@trustdale.com.