PITTSBURGH (WPXI) — There are new revelations in the state of Pennsylvania’s investigation into the owner of a Pittsburgh pet funeral home.
Authorities say he is facing several felony charges for leaving thousands of pet owners in limbo and the investigation reportedly stemmed from a previous intern reporting suspicions to police.
That intern says she worked for Vereb Funeral Home last spring and summer and ultimately quit when she couldn't handle what she saw.
She reported those accusations to both the city of Pittsburgh police and Harrison Township police before, months later, the attorney general's office stepped in.
“For me to be talking to someone and telling them we are taking care of your pet, it's truly devastating to know that that wasn't happening, and those people trusted us, and I couldn't say sorry enough,” says former employee Kara Knight
She is a former employee of Patrick Vereb.
Vereb owns a funeral home and eternity pet memorial. He's now facing thousands of charges from the attorney general's office, accused of disposing of pets in landfills when owners paid for burial and cremation services.
Tiffany Mantzourivis is the one who knew something wasn't right and filed multiple police reports to lead to the state investigation.
“I went home a couple times thinking there is no way this is happening. There is no way, I have to be making this up, maybe I’m crazy,” Mantzourivis said.
But records and what Tiffany witnessed led to the charges.
She says Vereb would only send dogs 55 pounds and over to be cremated because he paid per pet.
She believes those ashes were divided and given to other owners.
As for what happened to the smaller animals, she believes they were dumped.
“There were freezers full of animals getting commonly buried and they were to be in a mass burial at a cemetery, which is a peaceful thing for pet owners. They may not be able to visit them, but their pets are at peace with other people’s pets, and they were getting dumped.”
The attorney general's office says the criminal investigation spans from 2021 to 2024, yet some people were even still dropping their pets off this past weekend for services.
Investigators say Vereb scammed over 6,500 pet owners out of more than a-half million dollars.
“There's no way it's only 6,500; it had to be way more and that's just what could be proven.”
