Rick and Terri Wagner traveled Sunday from their New Kensington home to Derry Township in search of closure.
Their beloved spanador, Bailey, a mix of a cocker spaniel and a Labrador, was one of the thousands of pets authorities say Patrick Vereb mishandled through his cremation business, Eternity Pet Memorial. They were among pet owners who came to a memorial service at the Kingston Veterans and Sportsmans Club organized by Patti Levay, founder of Guardian Angels Pug Rescue in Derry Township.
Bailey was 8 when he died from cancer in 2021. The Wagners are among those who have learned that their pets were not cremated, despite Vereb giving them a baggie of remains along with a letter and certificate.
“He was such a nice dog,” Terri Wagner said. “He’s been on our minds a lot since he passed away.”
The state attorney general charged Vereb, 70, of Hazelwood with deceptive business practices and theft by deception on April 28. He is accused of taking almost $660,000 from customers for pet cremations from 2021 to 2024 but instead disposing of them in landfills and giving their owners ashes that were not from their pets. A class-action lawsuit has also been filed in Allegheny County.
While his wife was devastated by the news, Rick Wagner said he was angry.
“I just can’t believe that someone can be that heartless,” Terri Wagner said.
Levay had 11 of her dogs go through Vereb from 2021 to 2024. She and other pet owners said what Vereb is accused of doing made them suffer the loss of their pets a second time.
“We don’t know what happened to our pets,” she said. “We have a good idea that they are in landfills as opposed to in our arms.”
Brian C. Rittmeyer | TribLive
Father Justin Matro, of Saint Bartholomew Parish in Crabtree, blesses Ruby, a dog belonging to Terri and Rick Wagner of New Kensington, during a memorial service in Derry Township on Sunday for pets involved in the Eternity Pet Memorial scandal. They were given ashes for their dog, Bailey, who the authorities have told them was not actually cremated.
Levay said she organized the memorial to bring together those who are suffering and can understand each other’s pain.
“We need healing,” she said. “I want to help them get past the hatred. I want them to get through their grief.”
Rick Shoemaker, owner of Shoemaker Funeral Home in Blairsville for over 50 years, spoke to the gathering about how pet cremations should be handled. He said he added pet cremation to his services five years ago because there was a need, and now does three or four per day, six days a week — always individually, never in groups.
Shoemaker said it’s all about trust, and that he’d be happy to show people around his crematorium so they can see what they do.
“It’s unfortunate that nobody checked into that guy to see what he was doing,” Shoemaker said. “I think people trust us to do the right thing.”
While state lawmakers are working on legislation in the wake of the Vereb case, Shoemaker isn’t sure how effective laws would be.
“You can make all the rules in the world. People will still find a way to cheat,” he said.
Brian C. Rittmeyer | TribLive
Tiffany Mantzouridis (left), credited with alerting authorities leading to criminal charges against Patrick Vereb, owner of Eternity Pet Memorial, speaks during a memorial service organized by Patti Levay (right), founder of Guardian Angels Pug Rescue, in Derry Township on Sunday.
Also at the memorial was Tiffany Mantzouridis, who worked as an intern for Vereb and is credited with alerting police. She was met with appreciation and applause.
“I’m so sorry we have to meet like this,” she said, describing herself as shy and, citing an ongoing investigation, saying there are things she could not say.
Jason Patrick and Patty McMichael of Unity believe the bag they thought contained the ashes of their dog, Wolfie, is actually sand.
“I’m glad she came forward or we would’ve never known,” McMichael said.
As much as she feels Vereb hurt her and the others, Levay said she doesn’t want to have hatred in her heart.
“I refuse to hate him,” she said. “I feel sorry for this man who has no empathy.”
For some, for now, getting past the hate is too much to ask.
“I want justice for my little girl and I’m going to fight until I get it,” said Heather Sphar of Charleroi, whose Yorkie, Trixie, died in April 2024. “I hope the guy rots in jail. I have a lot of hatred for this man.”
Judy Humphrey of Mt. Pleasant said her Shetland sheepdog, Cullen, could forgive Vereb, “But I could never. … There’s a lot of pain here.”
Humphrey said she intends to join the class-action lawsuit, and is hopeful that new laws are passed.
“It’s not about the money. It’s for the justice each of these precious animals deserve,” she said. “We will get that justice.”
Patrick said he plans to go to Vereb’s next court hearing to face him.
“I want him to know he can’t run from us,” he said. “We’re not going to go away quietly.”
Since his husky, Zaylee Aurora Hoke, died in March 2020, Wade Hoke of Greensburg has been saying goodnight to ashes that may not be her.
“How could somebody do that? They’ll do anything for money,” he said. “I hope they do something bad to that guy.”
Brian C. Rittmeyer | TribLive
Sherry Roland, of Homer City, releases bubbles as she and others whose pets are involved in the Eternity Pet Memorial scandal conclude a memorial service in Derry on Sunday.
The service ended with those attending gathering in a circle as they blew bubbles and said their pets’ names aloud, saying hello to them in heaven.
For owners who don’t want to keep the remains they were given by Vereb, Levay said she’d take and bury them with dignity. But many said they will keep and honor them just the same.
That includes Sherry Roland of Homer City who knows that neither of her dogs, AnnieGrace and MollyBelle, were actually cremated. She keeps the ashes on a memorial table with a light that comes on every night.
“Whether they’re mine or someone else’s, they’ll be loved and cherished,” she said.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University’s Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
