By Christina Lengyel, Reporter | The Center Square
Republished by Travels With The Post
(The Center Square) – When faced with the loss of a pet, owners routinely opt for cremation services in order to preserve their connection to their animal after death.
In Pennsylvania, those cremation services are largely unregulated. State 25th House District Rep. Brandon Markosek of Monroeville has proposed legislation – House Bill 1750 – to bring pet cremation up to par with other funerary industries.
Two Montgomery County legislators have already signed on as sponsors: 146th District Rep. Joe Ciresi of Royersford, and 153rd District Rep. Benjamin Sanchez of Abington.
“Anyone with a pet knows they are a part of our family, and they deserve to be treated with dignity, especially in death,” Markosek wrote in support of the bill. “We at the state level must step up and pass legislation to ensure that improper disposals of pets never happen again without the funeral home facing serious consequences.”
The legislation follows on the heels of an April 2025 scandal.
State Attorney General Dave Sunday has charged a Pittsburgh area funeral home director, Patrick Vereb, with stealing more than $650,000 from bereaved pet owners over four years. Rather than burying or cremating the bodies in his care, Vereb allegedly disposed of them in a landfill, and returned other animals’ ashes to their owners.
Providing Dignified Services for Pets
“This case is disturbing and will cause devastation and heartache for many Pennsylvanians,” Sunday says. “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.”
Bill 1750 would establish a specific offense relating to misrepresentation in the disposal of animal remains, including. As written, it includes penalties that could affect funeral directors’ licensure. Markosek said that his proposal would “restore public confidence” in the funerary industry.
Photo by Will Langenberg on Unsplash, used by Travels With The Post under license
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