In 1996 three friends formed Allied Veterinary Cremation Services, to fill a need for a quality pet cremation provided in Central Pennsylvania. After a few years, these partners were looking to go their separate ways, when Steve Broich, an acquaintance of one of the partners, learned of the possibility of buying the business. Steve had been familiar with the company since its inception, having helped them with some of the physical plant and set-up needs. Steve was looking for a change in his career, and the opportunity seemed like a good fit.
In April 2001, he purchased the business interest and began operating it as Allied Veterinary Cremation, Ltd. Over the next few years, the business continued to grow, and he added employees and additional crematory equipment. By 2010, the original location had become rather cramped, and Steve began considering finding a new site. One challenge was maintaining the rural environment of the location in Lawn/Palmyra, as many pet owners seem to appreciate knowing the crematory setting was rural.
In May 2012, a new location was purchased –the site of the former Mastersonville Elementary School in Manheim Central School District. While this location required a move from Lebanon County to Lancaster County, the move was only a few miles and kept the rural setting. The move required an addition to one side of the building to accommodate vehicles and crematory equipment, and the removal of asbestos and updates to the plumbing and electrical systems. However, despite these challenges, we were pleased to be able to re-purpose an existing building. The official move to the new location was in December 2012.
We enjoy being a quiet member of the local neighborhood, providing extra parking for the small neighboring church when needed and supporting the local fire company and small businesses. Currently, we are working on adding more native plants to our landscaping to help we ensure we are good stewards of our environment by providing habitat for pollinators, birds and other wildlife.
Why should you trust Allied Veterinary Cremation?
We’re members of the International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories. We use high-quality crematory equipment and employ certified operators.
We serve our local community and surrounding areas so it is extremely important to us that our clients feel comfortable in trusting us; each of us either has a pet in our lives now, or has had a beloved pet in our past. We understand how important your pet is to you.
Meet Our Team
Steve Broich
Owner/President
Steve and his wife, Mary, are both graduates of Lancaster Catholic High School. After completing a carpentry apprenticeship, he worked for Warfel Construction and later Elizabethtown College, and for several years taught evening classes for carpentry apprentices. Steve purchase Allied Veterinary Cremation from its original owners in April 2001 and is a Certified Crematory Operator.
Steve & Mary have 3 adult daughters and 2 granddaughters. They have one resident cat and 3 grand-dogs, and Steve enjoys taking care of a small community of feral cats near their home. Steve enjoys helping the family with home-improvement projects, taking leisurely bike rides, and polka dancing. He is trying to figure out what being “semi-retired” means and recently began taking accordion lessons.
Laura
Business Office Manager
Laura is a graduate of Hempfield High School and graduated from Elizabethtown College with a B.S. in Business Administration. She worked in the banking industry for 10 years, while also helping out at Allied, and eventually left banking to work for Allied Veterinary Cremation. While Laura’s day-to-day duties are in the office, she has earned certification as a Crematory Operator; she has attended several International Association of Pet Cemeteries and Crematories conferences.
Laura and her husband have two daughters and a Pit Bull mix named Violet. She enjoys hiking, birding, reading and spending time with her family.
Craig
Driver
Craig has been with Allied as a driver for more than twenty years. While he’s not much of a smiler in photos, he is known by nearly all our customers as a very friendly guy. He is a graduate of Columbia Borough High School and lives in Columbia. He and his wife have 2 adult children, and they currently have Bearded Dragons as pets. Craig enjoys hunting, fishing, riding his Harley-Davidson, and cheering on the Eagles.
Jeff
Part-Time Crematory Staff
Jeff has been employed by Allied since 2001, and he is also employed by a local college providing security services. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and is a Certified Crematory Operator. He and his wife have four adult daughters, and they currently share their home with a Yorkie named Hannah.
In Memory of “Maggie”
Office Cat
Maggie, a calico cat, was a resident of our Lawn location for several years. While she is no longer with us, her picture can still be found on some of our printed materials.
Anthony
Crematory Supervisor
Anthony grew up in California & North Carolina, and moved to the Lancaster area just before starting high school. He is a graduate of Hempfield High School, and after more than ten years, with Allied, is currently going back to school for nursing. He is continuing to help out on an as-needed basis, and provides support for equipment maintenance. He and his wife have four children, several cats and a dog.
Dustin
Crematory Operations & Driver
Dustin is originally from northwestern Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Titusville High School & Pensacola Christian College, Florida. Dustin is a Certified Crematory Operator. He has previously worked in youth ministry & in appliance delivery (which comes in handy here at Allied). Dustin & his wife have two daughters keeping them busy with after-school activities, and they enjoy camping on the weekends. They share their home with two cats.
Branden
Crematory Operations & Driver
Branden is a graduate of Columbia Borough School District, and previously worked in lawncare & snow removal. Branden is a Certified Crematory Operator. He has a new puppy keeping him busy when he is not at work.
Dave
As-Needed Support Staff
Dave is a graduate of Hempfield High School. He served in the US Marine Corps Reserves. He worked for Allied while earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University. He later earned post-bac certification from Millersville University for secondary education, and is now a high school Math Teacher. He enjoys sports and is a PIAA Official, and enjoys spending time with his wife, 2 daughters & their dog. He helps us out here at Allied on occasion, providing support when others are on vacation.
