Baltimore Man Faces 56 Charges in Alleged Pet Cremation Scam

A Baltimore County man, Rodney Ward, has been arrested and charged with 56 counts of malicious destruction of property, along with felony theft and conspiracy, for allegedly operating a fraudulent pet cremation business. Prosecutors claim Ward, owner of Loving Care Pet Funeral and Cremation Services, accepted deceased pets for cremation but instead dumped their bodies and returned bags filled with fake ashes to grieving owners. His wife, Yalanda Ward, also faces charges in connection with the scheme.

The alleged scam involved deceiving over 50 pet owners, who reportedly paid up to $500 for cremation services. Victims received containers purportedly holding their pets' remains, but forensic analysis revealed the contents were non-animal materials such as sand, gravel, baking soda, concrete, and vermiculite. Nikki Pickens, one of the affected pet owners, stated, "I opened the bag and said, 'This looks like beach sand.'"

The investigation by the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office and local police began in March after several deceased pets, supposedly cremated by Ward's company, were discovered dumped by roadsides. A subsequent search of the Wards' West Baltimore home uncovered a hearse containing 38 animal carcasses. Assistant State's Attorney Adam Lippe confirmed that "none of those boxes came back to be pet remains."

Rodney Ward was arrested after a week-long search, having fled following his wife Yalanda's earlier arrest. He was denied bail, with prosecutors arguing he was a flight risk and a danger to the community. Lippe indicated that the Wards allegedly continued operating the fraudulent business even during the ongoing investigation.

The emotional toll on victims has been significant, with many seeking answers about their pets' true fate. Zoey Robinson-Budreski, owner of Charm City Pet Crematory, has stepped in to assist in identifying and properly cremating recovered pets, highlighting the need for stricter oversight in the pet cremation industry. "As a human being and a pet lover, things have got to change, period," Robinson-Budreski emphasized, advocating for new regulations to prevent similar exploitation.