Robert Balog, a grieving pet owner from California, alleges that he was scammed by a pet cremation business, We Care Pet Cremations, after the company failed to return the remains of his beloved cat, Stewie, despite receiving payment. Balog and his friend, Tory, drove several hours to meet with the business owners, Anthony Nuñez Jr. and Nejyredth Valasquez, in the parking lot of a Best Buy store to retrieve Stewie’s remains. The business claims to offer private cremations in a state-of-the-art facility, but several customers have accused the company of misrepresenting its services and allegedly keeping animals in refrigerated storage instead of cremating them. Nuñez and Valasquez reportedly accept payment through Zelle and promise to return ashes within two to three weeks, but often stop responding to customers after receiving payment. Despite repeated attempts to contact the business, Balog and Tory were only able to retrieve Stewie’s remains after leaving negative reviews and reaching out from different phone numbers. Tory also shared her experience on Instagram and Facebook, alerting other cat rescue groups to the company’s alleged practices. Multiple sources claim that We Care Pet Cremations dropped off pet remains at a legitimate pet cremation business, Furrever Friends, without proper authorization. Tory believes that Nuñez and Valasquez stored Stewie’s remains in a refrigerated facility in Oxnard rather than sending them to Furrever Friends. The business has faced criticism for causing emotional distress and trauma to grieving pet owners. The U.S. Sun has reached out to We Care Pet Cremations for comment, but the business has not yet responded.
Pet Cremation Business Accused of Scamming Grieving Owners
