Fury at sentence for crematorium owner who duped customers into thinking they had received ashes of dead pets

Allan McMaster, owner of Swan Pit Pet Crematorium in Gnosall, was ordered to carry out 200 hours' unpaid work after pleading guilty to five charges of fraud and four counts of failing to comply with animal by-product regulations relating to the way horse carcasses were kept.

The 52-year-old was also told at Cannock Magistrates Court to pay £6,435 in costs and compensation, including £500 to each of four known victims.

Following the hearing, The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries and Crematoria, which sets international standards for the pet funeral industry, described the sentence as 'ridiculously lenient.'

The court hearing had heard how large chest freezers at the crematorium contained dogs, cats and in one case an iguana.

Some had been stored for months, even though their ashes had supposedly been returned to their owners.

District Judge Jack McGarva described it as 'something out of a horror movie.'

Today, Stephen Mayles, vice chairman of the association, said: "For the life of me, I can't understand why Mr McMasters has been allowed to carry on his business. The sentence was ridiculously lenient."

He urged the public and vets to thoroughly research pet crematoria in the wake of the scandal.

"The sad truth is that so many similarly disturbing cases have been brought to our attention over the past few years.

"This particular operator was not registered with the APPCC. Our members must operate with complete transparency and adhere to a strict code of practice."

He warned the pet cremation industry was unregulated, apart from an obligation to comply with waste disposal and unfair trading regulations.

"We have seen evidence of operators and cremation arrangers flouting consumer regulations left, right and centre," said Mr Mayles.

"Swan Pit is an extreme case but we believe the mis-selling of services is rife in our sector, especially in relation to how pets are handled and transported.

"Sadly, many pet owners never get told their pet's ashes were destined for a council tip, or that their bodies have been collected with waste and their bodies heaped in the back of a van.

"To many people, pets are family too and if their owners want to guarantee a send-off which reflects that, they need to ask a lot of questions."

If people are concerned about a recent cremation, they can call Staffordshire County Council's animal health team on 01785 277875.