Pet Cemetary Woes

There are 16,000 pets sharing their final resting place at the Bluebonnet Pet Cemetery in Mansfield, Texas--but now that final rest seems up for debate. The property may be sold out from under them, and leave their grieving owners wondering what to do. The owner, David Stafford, owes unpaid property taxes for 2006 and 2007, which prompted the Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector’s Office to place a lien against the property. According to news reports, an attorney for the county is considering a lawsuit, and if Stafford can’t pay, the land could be sold. Stafford purchased the property in 2002, and still owes payments to the estate of the former owner. Owners of the buried pets are concerned if a new owner could use the land for something else--and if so, they worry what might happen to the graves. Texas has no laws governing pet cemeteries, and the industry trends these days indicate most deceased pets are cremated. The unpaid property taxes amount to about $10,000, according to county records. Stafford says the burial plots and services range from $65 to $185, but he gives discounts to most of his clients who tend to be low-income. He has coffins and granite markers available, but clients are not required to purchase them.