Pet remains stolen with truck

A desperate search is underway in Hamilton and the surrounding area. Cars and trucks are stolen every day. But last week, someone stole a van carrying the remains of family pets that were on their way to be prepared for their final resting place. And the theft has left devastation in its wake for the pet owners and the pet memorial company.

Wylie the Jack Russell Terrier had a long life. A picture shows Wylie in what her family calls her old age lounge — she lived to be 18.

After she passed on, her family hoped to have her cremated ashes to keep with them — until last Thursday.

A delivery van carrying Wylie’s remains, along with the remains of 35 other dogs, cats, birds and other pets, was stolen from a downtown Hamilton animal hospital where it had stopped.

Scott Hunter, Gateway Pet Memorial: “That’s as much as we know. It makes us sick to our stomachs that it can happen. I came home, I was on vacation. I flew home immediately and ever since we’ve been find trying to find the location of these pets so that we can treat them properly.”

The remains were on the way to Gateway Pet Memorial in Guelph for cremation and services.

They’ve been scouring Hamilton for any sign of the truck or the pets, even searching on foot and going through dumpsters.

Scott Hunter: “And we’ve gone out and we’ve taken, at one point we had 12 people, we’ve done eight people as well on days, and we’ve combed through the whole east of Hamilton and up onto the mountain around trying to locate these pets so we can give them a proper service they deserve.”

And they hired a plane to fly over Hamilton, Brantford and Caledonia.

But there’s no sign of the stolen van — a white 2011 Ford E-250 with no markings, licence plate AC93837.

And the memorial company is asking people to watch out for the red bags the animals were being kept in — in case the thief threw them out.

They want to recover the remains so these beloved pets can have their final services.

With the close relationship people have with their pets these days, pet funerals and memorial services can be important for the families. A final chance to say goodbye. In this case, the pet owners are devastated to think they may not get that chance.