Pa. funeral home owner charged with defrauding 1000s of pet owners in cremation scam

A Pittsburgh funeral home owner is being changed with theft and improper disposal of thousands of dogs and cats after authorities say owners paid for private cremations of their pets when in fact the animals were dumped in a landfill.

Attorney General Dave Sunday said Monday that Patrick Vereb, owner of Vereb Funeral Home and Eternity Pet Memorial, stole more than $650,000 from thousands of customers in western Pennsylvania who paid for pet burial and cremation services between 2021 and 2024.

Sunday said owners paid Vereb for private cremation services, but he then disposed of many of the pets at a landfill and gave customers the ashes of other, unknown animals.

”This case is disturbing, and will cause devastation and heartache for many Pennsylvanians,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Our pets are members of our families, and this defendant betrayed and agonized pet owners who entrusted him to provide dignified services for their beloved cats and dogs.”

Vereb, 70, is charged with felony counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and deceptive business practices.

He was arraigned on the charges Monday and released on his own recognizance. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9.

An investigation that began with a tip from a former employee identified more than 6,500 victims from Allegheny, Armstrong, Washington, and Westmoreland counties, the attorney general’s office said.

The Attorney General’s office has created a website where victims and potential victims can provide their contact information, share victim impact statements, and receive updates on the criminal case.

On its website, Eternity Pet Memorial told bereaved pet owners, “We are here to help you say goodbye in a manner that honors your family’s faithful friend.”

The company offers pet burial packages, urns, coffins, photo memorials, encased pawprints, pet obituaries and pet transport services costing hundreds of dollars. Cremations cost as much as $600.

A dozen veterinary practices and businesses worked with the attorney general’s office to confirm that Vereb collected at least $657,517 from pet owners who did not receive the actual ashes of their pet.