In 1996 three friends formed Allied Veterinary Cremation Services to fill a need for a quality pet cremation in Central Pennsylvania. After a few years, the partners were looking to go their separate ways, while 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 appreciate the rural setting.
In May 2012, a new location was purchased –the site of the former Mastersonville Elementary School in Manheim Central School District, just a few miles from the original location, and the move was completed in December 2012. Re-purposing a building from the 1920’s & 1950’s required removal of asbestos and updates to the plumbing and electrical systems, as well as an addition of garage bays to accommodate our vehicles and the crematory area. Since 2012 we have also added HVAC systems, done roof repairs, and replaced all the windows.
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 so that we are good stewards of our environment by providing habitat for pollinators, birds and other wildlife.
Although the industry is trending toward corporate ownership and very large companies, we have continued to be locally and family-owned and operated. Steve’s daughter, Laura, has been running the operation for several years. We value those clients, both businesses and individuals, who value utilizing local service providers.
Medical Waste Disposal
While Allied does not operate medical waste disposal services, we do contract with a medical waste disposal provider in or to provide this service as a convenience to our veterinary clients. With this arrangement, the transportation of pets and medical waste is never co-mingled, as two completely different companies manage it. This is something our competitors have done away with, but we have continued this practice.
For additional information regarding medical waste and related costs, please contact us.
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 Elizabethtown College (B.S. Business Administration). She worked in banking for more than 10 years, while also helping Allied out on a part-time basis since 2001, and eventually left banking to work for Allied. Laura is a Certified Crematory Operator, and has attended several International Association of Pet Cemetery and Crematory conferences, and has earned Pet Bereavement Certification through the IAOPCC. Laura is responsible for the day-to-day management and became President in late 2023.
She and her husband have two daughters and a rescued Pit Bull mix. In her spare time she enjoys, hiking, birding, reading and spending time with family.
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.
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.
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.
Craig
Retired Driver
Craig retired from Allied in December 2023 after twenty-two and a half years of employment. 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.
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
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.
Ken
Ken is from the Lebanon area and currently lives in Maytown with his wife and their dog. He has worked in delivery services for most of his career.
