A Baltimore-area man is left devastated after learning that his beloved dog, who he believed had been cremated, was actually found dumped on the side of the road alongside seven other dogs.
Darrine Timpson lost his French bulldog, Jada, on March 27. She passed away while giving birth. Grieving her sudden loss, he reached out to Loving Care Pet Funeral Services in Catonsville to arrange for her cremation.
The next day, he received a box of ashes he believed were Jada’s. But just 30 minutes later, he got a shocking phone call from Baltimore City Animal Control. They told him that Jada’s body had been found on the side of the road—along with seven other deceased dogs.
Animal Control had scanned Jada’s microchip, which led them back to Timpson. The news was crushing.
She was just unbelievable. There’s nothing that can replace that dog, Timpson shared. I love all dogs, but Jada was special.
Timpson said he doesn’t even know whose ashes he was given.
I was returned ashes, but I’m not sure if they are pet ashes or human ashes.
Rodney Ward, the owner of Loving Care Pet Funeral Services, said over the phone that he was blindsided by the incident. He explained that a new employee was tasked with transporting the animals to a crematorium in Hyattsville, but somehow, the animals were instead dumped.
Ward stated that they outsource cremations and assumed the pets were being handled as promised. He claimed to have refunded money to the affected pet owners but has been unable to reach the employee responsible.
Timpson said that while the refund was issued, the money means little to him.
Animals mean a lot to me, he said. I believe they should be treated the same way as humans when they pass.
The City of Baltimore has now stepped in and is overseeing Jada’s proper cremation. Meanwhile, Timpson says he plans to take legal action against the cremation service.
Social media has since lit up with grief and outrage as others shared their concerns about where their pets may have ended up. The images of Jada and the others left on the roadside are heartbreaking—and serve as a reminder of how deeply pet owners trust the people handling their animals’ final moments.
What should have been a peaceful farewell turned into a painful mystery, and Timpson is still left wondering: who did I receive in that box?
Toledo, United States.
