Business closed in October, some remains missing
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Following a report of a missing pet body by 8 News Now Investigators, the Better Business Bureau is advising consumers not to pay for services using Venmo or Zelle.
The Nevada Attorney General's Office appears to be investigating the now-shuttered operation, and dozens of Las Vegas-area pets that were scheduled for cremation ended up being dumped more than 100 miles away in rural Utah. 8 News Now Investigators reported Monday.
Last fall, 8 News Now investigators spoke to several people who paid First Call Pet Cremation to dispose of their dog's remains, and they said they believed the remains of their beloved animals. He said he did not believe that. As of Monday, at least one company that contracted with 1st Call Pet Cremation to perform animal cremations was directed to store everything, including pets, in freezers as a state-led investigation was ongoing. .
Records show 1st Call Pet Cremation officially closed on October 31, 2023. The company has contracted to cremate some of the animals with Angel Hutchings, owner of Forever Friends Pet Cremation outside St. George, Utah. She has cremated more than 1,300 pounds of pet remains found in several dumpsters in Utah and in a freezer in Las Vegas, she said, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office confirmed that.
As 8 News Now Investigators reported last year, the company's now-deleted website said it was Better Business Bureau accredited, but the business' BBB profile had an F rating. , it said, “This business is not BBB accredited.”
A spokesperson for BBB's Mountain West region said BBB pursues companies that deceive consumers.
BBB started receiving complaints about 1.cent Call Pet Cremation in June 2023 and increase from August of the same year. According to the BBB website, the BBB has received 20 complaints over the past three years, 19 of which were reported to him in the last year alone.
“The BBB continues to receive complaints from consumers who have not adopted their pet and are concerned that the remains they receive may not actually be their pet,” it said in a Tuesday post on its website. Stated. “To date, the company has not addressed any of these recent complaints.”
Some of the complaints relate to a lack of communication.
“If you can't get through to anyone and you're not only put on hold for 10 minutes, but you've been emailing, texting, and calling for weeks and haven't heard anything, that's you. It's probably not going to happen.” said Melani Fox, director of marketing communications for BBB Mountain West.
Several consumers told 8 News Now investigators they paid for cremation services with Venmo or Zelle. Fox advised always paying with a credit or debit card to ensure protection from your bank.
A representative for 1st Call Pet Cremation said they would provide a statement in response to 8 News Now Investigators' initial article, but never responded. The representative did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Investigator David Charles can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com.
Complaints can be filed through the BBB website. The Nevada Attorney General's Office can be reached at ag.nv.gov/Complaints/File_Complaint/. Fox also advised filing a report with your local police department.
