Sauder Schelkopf is investigating legal claims on behalf of pet owners affected by the alleged cremation fraud involving Eternity Pet Memorial, a Pittsburgh-based cremation provider, and its owner Patrick Vereb. According to formal charges announced by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, over 6,500 pet owners across Pennsylvania may have been misled into believing they were receiving private cremation services.
Allegations of Deceptive Pet Cremation Practices
Between 2021 and 2024, Eternity Pet Memorial is alleged to have advertised and sold individual pet cremations with the promise of returning the correct ashes to each family. However, law enforcement officials claim that in many cases, pet remains were improperly discarded in a landfill, and families were instead given ashes from unknown sources. The Pennsylvania Attorney General has charged Mr. Vereb with multiple felony counts, including theft by deception and deceptive business practices.
Emotional Toll on Families
The allegations have caused significant emotional distress for families who entrusted Eternity Pet Memorial with the care of beloved pets. Many pet owners describe a sense of compounded loss after learning that the remains they received may not belong to their pet. Some families, including those whose pets served as emotional companions during periods of mental health recovery or infertility, have reported serious psychological impacts.
Know Your Legal Rights
If you purchased cremation or burial services from Eternity Pet Memorial at any time from 2021 to 2024 and suspect your pet’s remains were mishandled, you may have legal rights.
Experience Matters
Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country. The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022. This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.
We Want to Hear from You
If you purchased cremation or burial services from Eternity Pet Memorial at any time from 2021 to 2024 and suspect your pet’s remains were mishandled, please contact us.