N.Y. rules being buried with pet is OK

• Tweet

HARTSDALE, N.Y., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- New York state's Cemetery Board has decided people can have their ashes buried in pet cemeteries alongside their non-human companions after all.

"I feel great," said Rhona Levy of New York City's Bronx borough, who wants to be buried with her dog and cats in Westchester's Hartsdale Pet Cemetery. "It was sort of like an early Christmas present."

Earlier this year, the Cemetery Board had ruled human remains could not be buried in pet cemeteries, even though about 700 people have been buried at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery over the years, the New York Post reported Sunday.

However, this past week, the board reversed itself and said the pet cemetery could continue to bury human remains on its property as long as the service is not advertised and there is no charged for it.

"It's just unfortunate that so many people had to go through this emotional torture these many months while this was being worked out," Levy said.

The board also proposed similar regulations for all pet cemeteries in the state.