Petition seeks to change law making it illegal to be buried with your pet
There's a petition circulating Western New York challenging a state law that makes it illegal to be buried in a cemetery with your pet. YNN's Ryan Burgess explains why one
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EAST AURORA, N.Y. – Nearly eight years after the death of her cat, Opie, Kym Riedel still thinks about the loss.
"I didn't think I'd be able to live without him," said Riedel.
Riedel now leads a pet loss support group in East Aurora called The Empty Leash. She said the group wants to change a state cemetery law that makes it illegal to be buried with your pet.
"I really hope it goes through, because a lot of our members don't have any family and their pets were their family. They want to take them with them in the end, and I don't see anything wrong with that," said Riedel.
Jeff Reed is executive vice president of Mount Calvary Cemetery Group in Cheektowaga. He's behind the push, and petition, to allow human pet cemeteries.
"With pets becoming so popular in family structure today, that's kind of been the outcry. Why can't humans and pets be together?" asked Reed.
The petition started about two years ago at Mount Calvary Cemetery, when families began coming together for an annual pet memorial service.
"The families themselves spoke when they found out what the law really was and that they couldn't do it," said Reed.
Reed said a new law would likely require pets to be cremated before being buried with their owners.
"I'm not married. I have no children. And they've been with me through thick and thin. No matter what's gone wrong, they've been there for me and I want to be there for them in the end too," said Riedel.
Once enough signatures are gathered, the petition will be submitted to the State Division of Cemeteries for consideration.