Owner Shocked to Discover Wrong Pet Remains Returned by Cremation Service

Las Vegas woman says she received the wrong ashes after cremating her late mother's dog Scruffy

Mar. 17, 2026 at 1:33am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Anna Ketcham of Las Vegas was devastated to learn that the ashes she received from Coral Cremations after the death of her late mother's dog Scruffy may not actually be his remains. Ketcham says she had no idea Coral was outsourcing cremations to another company, Compassionate Pet Cremation LLC, which still has unclaimed pet remains from other clients in their possession.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the pet cremation industry, as well as the emotional distress caused when families do not receive the proper remains of their beloved pets. It raises questions about oversight and regulations governing these sensitive services.

The details

Ketcham says Scruffy was her mother's companion through her battle with cancer, and after her mother passed away, Scruffy also died in November 2026. Ketcham used Coral Cremations to handle Scruffy's remains, but was later informed by the company that the ashes returned to her may not actually be Scruffy's. Meanwhile, the owner of Compassionate Pet Cremation LLC, Allen Silberstein, showed Channel 13 two boxes of unclaimed pet remains that Coral had dropped off at his facility.

  • Scruffy, Ketcham's mother's dog, passed away in November 2026.
  • Ketcham received a text message from the owner of Coral Cremations on Friday, March 17, 2026 stating the ashes returned to her may not be Scruffy's.

The players

Anna Ketcham

A Las Vegas woman whose late mother's dog Scruffy passed away, and who used Coral Cremations to handle the cremation but later discovered the ashes returned to her may not be Scruffy's remains.

Coral Cremations

A pet cremation service that Ketcham used to handle Scruffy's remains, but the company outsourced the cremation to another provider without Ketcham's knowledge.

Compassionate Pet Cremation LLC

The third-party company that Coral Cremations outsourced pet cremations to, and which still has unclaimed pet remains from other clients in their possession.

Allen Silberstein

The owner of Compassionate Pet Cremation LLC, who showed Channel 13 the two boxes of unclaimed pet remains that Coral Cremations had dropped off at his facility.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“If the one owner got supposedly their pet's remains back, what about the other ones that we have over here? They're still here, so what was given to the owner and other people?”

— Allen Silberstein, Owner, Compassionate Pet Cremation LLC (KTNV)

“I am so sorry to tell you that the ashes that were returned to you might not actually be those ashes of your baby.”

— Owner of Coral Cremations (Text message to Anna Ketcham)

What’s next

Ketcham hopes to work with Compassionate Pet Cremation LLC to try and reunite with Scruffy's actual remains so she can scatter them over her mother's grave.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for greater transparency, accountability, and oversight in the pet cremation industry to ensure grieving families receive the proper remains of their beloved pets. It also underscores the emotional distress caused when these sensitive services fail to meet expectations.