MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The bond that many owners have with their pets is so close, when the animals passes they look for a special place to bury them.
Some families in the Mid-South thought they’d found that place but WREG discovered what was hallowed ground now resembles something out of a horror film.
For weeks, Ann Liberto has tried to find the graves of her two schnauzers buried at Pine Crest Cemetery in Southeast Shelby County.
Searching for their markers seems next to impossible with all the overgrown weeds, pine straw and brush covering the ground of this Hacks Cross Road pet cemetery.
“I have no idea what they’re doing but every time I come by this area I see how horribly it’s being kept,” said Liberto.
From the looks of the overgrown property, she thought the owner abandoned it.
“It’s certainly not what we expected because you have an interment fee when you bury the animal, and of course, if you want a little monument you pay an additional fee for that,” she said.
Liberto said she paid around $300 for the burial.
She still pays a yearly $25 maintenance fee for each of her schnauzers yet she can’t even find their graves.
Ann called the WREG Investigators because she wanted some answers.
The day we showed up there was a man with a non-working weed eater who told us he’s waiting for the owner. We wait too.
After a couple of hours, Travis Wright finally showed up.
We told him he’s got people complaining they can’t find their pets graves.
“Well, actually it’s the worst it’s ever looked,” admitted Wright.
Wright admited the cemetery looks a mess and is a disrespect to the beloved pets buried here. He said he hurt himself trying to mow the property and that’s the reason the cemetery is in this shape.
“Only thing I can say is my loyal customers bear with me and we’re doing the best that we can,” said Wright.
Wright asked for patience but his pet cemetery business has a troubled history. He’s been accused of improperly disposing of animals.
In the late 90’s, the Shelby County Health Department fined Wright almost $30,000 for incinerating animals without proper equipment and permit. He only paid $500 of the fine.
There have also been complaints over the years about upkeep, but this time even Wright admits it’s never been this bad.
“I keep a record of everyone out here. If you have a problem, call me and I’ll take you and show you where it is,” said Wright.
Wright said this is still a legitimate business despite the way this place looks now. He said he is not the only person to blame. He told WREG some of the people who buried their pets out here haven’t paid him a dime in years.
“We charge each year for a maintenance fee but only about 6% of the people pay and of course I don’t sue anybody like some other cemeteries do. So, I try to make the best I can with the funds that I have,” said Wright.
Wright said when he heals from the accident he’ll join his nephew in trying to clean up the property. As for Liberto she won’t trust him to another one of her pets. If something ever happens to her playful schnauzer, little Tammi, she’ll rest in peace at a family friend’s farm.
WREG did some checking and found other pet cemeteries also charge an annual maintenance fee.
They said it costs just as much to properly keep up a cemetery dedicated to animals as a human one and human cemeteries build the longtime cost of maintenance into burial arrangements.