Modelo de Negocio que Incorpora Servicios Exequiales para Mascotas de Compañía en la Empresa Servicios Fúnebres San Pedro Sede de Bucaramanga.

Abstract

The earliest records of funeral rituals date back to prehistoric times, when Neanderthals were buried with grave goods and offerings. In the Neolithic period, cave necropolises (cemeteries) emerged, while in the Argaric period, burials went from being collective to individual, taking place in the basement of houses with the use of coffins or urns made of rocks or pieces of wood. In Iberian culture, cremation predominated, with the deceased being dressed in their best clothes and jewelry and accompanied by music before their ashes were buried. During the Roman period, the funeral began at the home of the deceased, followed by a funeral procession and culminating in the placement of the body on a bier surrounded by flowers. (Paz Martínez Garcerán, n.d.) In 1879, the country's first funeral home, “La Funeraria Rendón,” was founded in Medellín, Antioquia, which provided funeral services using animal-drawn carriages, reflecting the customs of the time. (Funeraria San Vicente, n.d.). Over time, funeral services have evolved from traditional methods to more structured and sanitary processes. Currently, these services range from handling the legal paperwork (death certificate, licenses, etc.) that must be generated upon the death of a loved one, to preparing the body (preservation), wake service, burial or cremation, and finally the delivery of the memorial kit. Ethology, the science that studies the evolution of animal behavior, has been fundamental in understanding the bond between humans and animals, showing that they not only provide companionship, but also experience emotions and form emotional bonds. However, for a long time, animals were considered “things” without any rights. In response to this, the Congress of the Republic, through Law 1774 of 2016, establishes in its first article that “Animals, as sentient beings, are not things and shall receive special protection against suffering and pain, especially that caused directly or indirectly by humans” (Congress of the Republic, 2016) (p.1). On the other hand, “pets have gone from being companion animals to becoming a fundamental part of the lives of many families. They act as emotional companions, providing emotional support and reducing loneliness” (by basicfarm, 2024). The strong bond between people and pets has driven their humanization, prioritizing their needs and promoting the supply of services and/or products they may require. However, before 2016, after the death of a pet, traditional options such as burial in parks or disposal of waste in containers were very common. However, with the implementation of legal and health regulations, these practices have been restricted. For this reason, in 2016, Colombia's National Code of Security and Citizen Coexistence, in Article 111 of Law 1801 of 2016, established that it is behavior contrary to cleanliness and waste collection, debris, and poor housing practices to “improperly dispose of inedible dead animals or parts thereof in household waste.” (Administrative Department of Public Service, 2016) (pp. 25-30). This regulation highlights the importance of having funeral services for pets in order to avoid practices that could cause environmental and health problems. In Colombia, the Ministry of Health has promoted the creation of a Public Policy on Responsible Pet Ownership, with the aim of establishing the type of responsibility of the different public and private actors. Within this framework, it first defines and clarifies the concept of PET, understood as a domesticated animal that lives and shares its life with a human being, providing companionship and entertainment, and secondly establishes three categories: production animals, non-conventional animals, and the latter, companion animals, which it describes as follows: It refers specifically to dogs and cats, intended to provide companionship, guidance, protection, and support. (Ministry of Health, 2017) Based on this concept defined by MINSALUD, the funeral service for companion pets has a different approach, since to date no paperwork or legislative documents are required for the farewell of the pet. In this process, families are accompanied in their grieving process, and the final disposal of the pet's body is carried out through a process of disintegration until the ashes are obtained. This disintegration process is carried out through alkaline hydrolysis, “which is an alternative method to pet cremation, in which water and an alkaline solution are used to break down tissues and bones” (Admin Huellitas, 2020). In response to this market demand, we propose a business model that incorporates funeral and insurance services for pets in the city of Bucaramanga.