Pet parents rally outside Allegheny County Courthouse as funeral home director accused in cremains case waives arraignment
Patrick Vereb, the funeral director who's accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from pet owners for pet cremations that were never done, waived his arraignment, but that didn't stop many of his victims from gathering outside the Allegheny County Courthouse on Wednesday.
Holding pictures of their beloved pets, victims called Vereb a coward for not showing up for his arraignment. They said they're not backing down and vowed to be at every hearing and court appearance he has until justice is served.
"We will never forgive him for the pain he caused us," victim Linda Packard said.
Linda and her husband Jack are just a few of the pet parents who gathered outside the courthouse to send a message to the man they call "evil."
"He was evil to do all this to us. It's like we lost her again. It was a gut punch, really," Linda Packard said.
The Packards' beloved companion Lucy Bella is one of thousands of dog and cat remains that were allegedly dumped in a landfill by Vereb after their owners paid for cremation and burial. According to the attorney general's office, Vereb then provided the pet owners with ashes of other animals.
"Emotionally, it's very heartbreaking. When you put your trust in somebody that you think they're gonna do the right thing and they don't, it breaks your trust in humanity," victim Rhonda Sciore said.
Sciore has found comfort in the other victims who gathered on Wednesday. She says they've formed a bond through a shared tragedy that can never be broken.
While they're united in the quest for justice, she stresses it's more than just making sure Vereb pays for the pain he's accused of causing. It's about strengthening the laws that protect animals.
"I will fight for the protection and the ethical treatment for them. Unless you have an animal that becomes part of your heart, you probably won't understand. Boomer was my baby," Sciore said.
The next step in Vereb's case will be a pretrial conference next month.
