Tiffany Mantzouridis sat in the balcony of the state House chamber Monday, overwhelmed with emotion as legislators unanimously approved a bill to protect pet owners from what they called glaring oversights in cremation services.
Mantzouridis, of Irwin, is the whistleblower who essentially spurred the legislation after reporting what she saw as an intern at Vereb Funeral Home and Eternity Pet Memorials in Harrison.
Owner Patrick Vereb of Hazelwood was later charged by the state Attorney General’s Office with allegedly taking money for pet cremations and disposing of the animals in landfills. He also is accused of intentionally distributing the wrong ashes to customers.
He faces felony charges of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and deceptive business practices.
Vereb is expected in court for a status hearing May 6 before Judge Jaime Hickton. His trial is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. June 3.
“It feels amazing to know that after all of the fighting that I had to do to get attention to such a horrific situation, that something positive has finally come out of it,” Mantzouridis said.
House Bill 1750, the Companion Animal Cremation Consumer Protection Act, would increase transparency in pet cremation bookkeeping by requiring providers to detail services, including private and communal options; certify the return of cremated remains; and meet health and safety standards for holding facilities.
State Rep. Brandon Markosek, D-Monroeville, the House bill’s sponsor, said the legislation fills a void. Pennsylvania currently has no legal framework for how cremated remains of pets should be handled.
The bill — cosponsored by 22 Democrats and four Republicans — passed the full House on a 199-0 vote to advance to the Senate.
With pet cremation as a relatively new sub-industry, state laws didn’t advance at the same rate as services, officials said.
“When I first learned about the horrific charge of a person falsely claiming to perform pet cremations while cruelly disposing their remains in a landfill, I was shocked by this evil behavior like everyone else,” Markosek said in an email to TribLive. “A pet’s death must always be handled with care and dignity.
“This legislation is about protecting families during a vulnerable time and making sure the goodbye they paid for is the one they actually received.”
A companion bill, Senate Bill 950, was sponsored earlier by state Sen. Nick Pisciottano, D-West Mifflin. Seven Democrats and five Republicans have cosponsored the bill.
It also seeks to strengthen accountability by creating a paper trail and also creating an offense related to misrepresenting animal disposal.
Violators would be subject to penalties under the state’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
“Losing a pet is heartbreaking, and families deserve honesty and compassion throughout the entire process,” Pisciottano, whose district includes Plum and Monroeville, said in a phone interview.
“These commonsense reforms will help ensure that pet cremation services meet basic ethical standards and that bad actors are held accountable.”
State Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-West View, one of the Senate bill’s cosponsors, said pets are members of the family and “they rely on us to protect them.”
“Every family deserves the peace of mind that comes with knowing their beloved pets are being treated with dignity and respect,” Williams said in an email.
The bill is now in the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee.
The bipartisan support is a positive sign that at least one of the bills will advance to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk, Pisciottano said.
“We’re hopeful to get it done this year,” he said.
Doctor Andrea Hongmann, president of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association said the legislation aims to put into place reforms that would appear to be common sense — but would prevent unnecessary emotional trauma for pet owners.
“The human-animal bond is a very special connection, and the process of saying goodbye can be heartbreaking,” Hongmann said in a release.
Vereb owned funeral and pet cremation services in Harrison and Hazelwood. He is accused of scamming more than 6,500 people with deceptive pet aftercare between 2021 and 2024, authorities said.
“We can never undo what has already been done but now, provided the legislation passes, we will stop this from happening to other pet families in their time of sadness and healing,” Mantzouridis said.
“No one should ever have to relive the loss of a loved one and, human or pet, they are all family.”