Maryland Businessman Faces 56 Prices in Pet Cremation Rip-off
A deeply troubling case in Catonsville, Maryland, has left grieving pet homeowners devastated after studying that their beloved animals had been by no means cremated as promised. Authorities allege that Rodney Ward, proprietor of Loving Pet Care Crematory Companies, carried out a years-long scheme that deceived dozens of households by returning faux ashes as a substitute of their pets’ stays. His spouse, Yalanda Ward, can also be going through fees in reference to the case.
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Investigators confirmed that Ward has been charged with 56 counts of malicious destruction of property. Households reportedly paid as much as $500 for cremation providers, solely to obtain baggage full of supplies akin to sand or concrete.
One sufferer, Nikki Pickens, recalled the anguish she felt after trusting Ward along with her 13-year-old cat, Norbette. She defined that the ashes she was given had been instantly suspicious. “I opened the bag and said, ‘This looks like beach sand,’” Pickens informed reporters, describing the betrayal as heartbreaking.
The Baltimore County State’s Lawyer’s Workplace and native police launched an investigation after a number of complaints surfaced. When authorities searched Ward’s West Baltimore house, they found 38 animal our bodies saved in a hearse and extra stays dumped alongside roadsides. Officers additionally confirmed that at the very least seven pets stay unaccounted for.
To this point, greater than 60 households have come ahead, with investigators believing the true variety of victims could also be larger. The scandal has left households feeling robbed of closure, as what ought to have been a last act of affection for his or her pets was a nightmare of deception.
In response, Zoey Robinson-Budreski, proprietor of Allure Metropolis Pet Crematory and Funeral Companies, has stepped in to assist establish ashes and make sure the animals obtain the dignified cremations they had been initially promised. “He’s been doing this for three years,” she defined. “Sixty-two families have come forward so far, but there are more.”
Robinson-Budreski emphasised that the case underscores the pressing want for stricter oversight within the pet cremation business. Whereas some enterprise homeowners could resist new laws, she believes they’re important to stop additional exploitation. “As a human being and a pet lover, things have got to change, period,” she mentioned.
For a lot of households, the costs towards Ward present some measure of accountability, although the emotional and monetary hurt can’t be undone. The case now strikes ahead in court docket as authorities proceed working to find lacking pets and supply long-awaited closure for his or her homeowners.
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This content material was created with AI help and edited by the iHeartDogs crew.
