The cruelty of fake pet cremation: When your dog’s final goodbye becomes a scam

A pet owner’s account of the heartbreak and anger.

When I first read about the discovery of dogs and cats in plastic bags with names and weight labels on them abandoned in an empty lot in Bulacan, I was angry. When the name of the supposed pet crematorium was revealed, I got even angrier. Ahjay Paws Aftercare was where I entrusted my Poppy cremation.

Poppy did not have a good start in life. She was born from a neighbor’s litter, whose mama dog and babies were kept in a small cage, fed table scraps and not enough of it at that. We were able to ask for her, a small aspin puppy with soft, trusting eyes and a beautiful smile. She roamed the garage, occasionally escaping when the gates were open, until she got pregnant by another neighbor’s dog and had our beautiful, black Abigail.

She was called by several iterations through her 10 years: Puppy, Poppy, Papi, and Papita, she answered to them all. She learned to shake hands, sit, and lie down. Her thick reddish-brown fur made her look like a wise fox. She loved treats and loved KFC and Mang Inasal during special occasions.

When my sons and I escaped our abusive home, we brought Papi, Abigail, our cats, and our turtles. They were family, no one was left behind. Poppy was family. Poppy was loved. This is why when she passed away on June 10, 2022, my heart heavy with grief, I made sure that she would be given a proper burial. Despite the economic uncertainty of the pandemic lockdowns, I searched for a cremation service for her online. It had to be a pickup and drop off service, because of the Covid restrictions and the fact that we did not have a vehicle at the time. That was when I found the Facebook page that said “Ahjay Paw Pet Supply Pet Transport Pet Cremation.”

Red flags, shady service

I should have known better. I should have looked into it more. At the time, I thought I was doing right by her. This is the first time I would be dealing with a pet’s death on my own. We could have had her buried, but we don’t have a backyard, and I am just renting a house. Cremation was the perfect solution. Until it wasn’t.

The FB page was quick to reply. They asked about her size and weight, our address, and asked us for her photo. They also sent a QR code for the deposit through GCash and the remaining balance when they returned with her ashes. All in all, it cost P11,000, sent to the GCash account of Jonathan Legaspi.

It’s almost 2027—let us all do away with the notion ‘aspin/puspin lang yan.’ This means ensuring that our furbabies are given dignity at the end of life.

A motorcycle rider picked her up a couple of hours after I messaged them. They were in constant communication; they even sent me a photo of her remains in a black plastic bag on a weighing scale, saying she weighed 12 kg. Because of my grief and anxiety, I failed to notice that a piece of paper was placed on top of the scale, and it read “Atienza Pet Crematorium,” which was a different business from the “Ahjay” Facebook page.

Another red flag I failed to pick up on was that her ashes were delivered in a small wooden box the very next day. Now that the issue came to light, I did some research and found that it usually takes three days for a pet cremation service to deliver the ashes.

The box came with a lock of her fur in a vial, a ceramic paw print, and a card with her name, photo, and a comforting quote to help us deal with the heartbreak of losing a family member. Interestingly, the card also bore the name “Atienza Pet Crematorium”. I did not get a receipt for the service.

I lit a candle and cried in front of her remains. Poppy was back, Poppy was home. Or so I thought.

The grim discovery

*The box that supposedly contained Poppy’s ashes; (below) the fake crematorium charged P11,000 for their “services.”*

Bulacan-based animal rescuer Luna and Furry Siblings blew the whistle on the fake pet cremation services of Ahjay Paws Aftercare Pet Crematorium, which is now under a different page from the one I contacted earlier but still with the same owner, Jonathan Legaspi.

Residents of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan reported a foul odor coming from sacks in an empty lot in Barangay Minuyan Proper, and an investigation found the 26 dogs and 3 cats that were dumped there in sacks and plastic bags. Two other dumping sites have since been found, with labels indicating that the beloved pets entrusted for aftercare to Ahjay Paws were dumped back in 2025. When I learned of this, my grief resurfaced, this time, accompanied by so much felt anger.

Elmo checks in on us—and the replies aren’t exactly the stuff for Sesame Street

What did they do to Poppy’s body? Whose—or what—ashes did I have my brother bury in his backyard? How did the local government allow this to happen for so long and to so many pet owners? Why are the scummy people behind this not behind bars?

A case is being readied by the victims, and I am endeavoring to join them. I shall not let this pass. Aside from holding the owners of the fake cremation business accountable and behind bars, I would also like to call on the PNP, local and national government to take animal welfare seriously. This means ensuring the safety and rescue of strays, supporting animal rescuers, and ensuring that our furbabies are given dignity at the end of life. It’s almost 2027—let us all do away with the notion “aspin/puspin lang yan.”

What makes this issue really bad is that a mayor tried to mediate between Legaspi and the victims, when all of this was already happening under their noses. The owners had the gall to tell victims that they would just be reimbursed. Luna and Furry Siblings also posted that they are being harassed for their expose. This is the Philippines. after all. It is a good thing that other rescue organizations and animal welfare groups are standing behind them.

Poppy’s daughter Abigail followed about three years later, and we thankfully found Pets in Peace aquamation services for her. I am assured that they are a legitimate operation because its co-founder Malou Perez heads animal rescue organization Pawssion Project.

Because it’s been years, there is only a small piece of hope that I may find Poppy’s remains from among the dumped pets. What I do know is that this abuse needs to stop, and people and government offices need to be held accountable.