Dead Pets Were Dumped at Cremation Prices

Four years after Rita Bell paid to have her German shepherd cremated, she’s worried that Sheba--along with 37,000 other pets--was dumped in a plastic bag and left to decay in a shallow pit on a dilapidated farm.

Authorities say Terence McGlashan told customers that he would cremate their pets for prices ranging from $25 to $100, and then paid a farmer $2 per animal to dump the carcasses in a field.

“It’s not the idea of how much you paid; it’s the idea that you don’t want your dog or pet thrown into a pile somewhere,” Bell said. “They’re part of the family.”

State investigators are looking at whether McGlashan, a Saratoga businessman, and farmer Ralph Seaman broke any laws.

The possibility that Fluffy or Fido were tossed in a heap rather than receiving the dignified handling pet owners expected has the pet-owning community in an uproar.

The site was discovered recently after a woman stumbled upon it while chasing her dog, which had gotten away from her during a walk. At least one of the carcasses was found with a tag indicating that it was supposed to be cremated.

Kevin Veitch, the city codes administrator, said the stench emanating from the pits was unbelievable.

Police and local veterinarians have been deluged with calls from pet owners concerned that their deceased animals might be among those dumped at the farm.

Last week, McGlashan and his lawyer met with Saratoga police and state investigators. No charges have been filed.

McGlashan’s company, CAP Inc., disposes of animal carcasses for veterinary hospitals in the Albany area, authorities said. Messages left on the answering machine at his office were not returned.

In New York, pet cemeteries and crematories must be licensed by the state. Mishandling the disposal of pets is a crime under a law that was enacted after a Suffolk County cemetery buried animals in mass graves after telling owners their pets would receive proper burial.

Seaman’s property is not a licensed pet cemetery. McGlashan is licensed to operate a pet crematory owned by veterinarian Robert Sofarelli.

“Every vet who has known him for years says this is not the type of person we’ve been dealing with for 20 years,” Sofarelli said. “I’m just hoping the only illegal thing he did was use an illegal piece of property.”

Seaman has been using a portion of his 500-acre farm to dispose of dead animals for about 30 years, officials said. He has disposed of dead animals for the last 15 years with McGlashan, authorities said.