Las Vegas Pet Cremation Owner Charged After Animal Remains Found Dumped in Desert
Losing a pet is devastating. For some Las Vegas families, that grief has now been compounded by allegations that their companions were never given the dignified cremations they paid for, according to a new investigation by KTNV.
KTNV Investigation Triggers Fraud Charges
According to KTNV 13 Investigates, the Nevada Attorney General has filed criminal fraud charges against Rick Senninger, owner of First Call Pet Cremation and Budget Pet Cremation.
The criminal complaint alleges Senninger took thousands of dollars from at least 11 pet owners for cremations, ashes, paw prints, and keepsakes that many families say they never received.
KTNV reports the charges come more than two years after the station first began investigating mounting complaints from local pet parents.
Families Left In Painful Limbo
KTNV’s reporting details how multiple owners waited months for ashes or memorial items that never arrived.
One Las Vegas woman, Christina Palmer, told 13 Investigates she was still waiting five months after her cat Pumpkin died in May 2023 for ashes, paw prints, and a lock of hair promised by First Call Pet Cremation.
When Palmer pressed for answers, Senninger eventually arrived at her home with some items and a series of explanations, blaming broken equipment, a failed freezer, and a backlog of orders.
KTNV’s investigation later found the reality behind those delays was far more troubling.
Desert Dump Sites And A Utah Trail
As KTNV reports, First Call Pet Cremation transported animal remains from Las Vegas to Utah, contracting with McKenzie Frei to perform cremations.
According to Lucas Alfred of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, deputies discovered three desert dump sites between October 2023 and February 2024 containing the remains of about 42 animals.
Many were traced back to Las Vegas families through microchips.
Authorities later ensured the animals were cremated properly, but only after months of anguish for owners who had trusted the process.
Who Is Being Held Responsible
In on-camera interviews with KTNV, Senninger acknowledged the community’s anger but insisted he was being scapegoated for the actions of his contractor.
He blamed Frei for pets left in freezers and the lack of communication, even as his businesses collected payments directly from grieving families.
Court records cited by KTNV show Frei pleaded guilty in Utah to multiple counts of unlawfully disposing of a carcass, receiving a suspended jail sentence, $700 in fines, and 24 hours of community service.
Senninger now faces a preliminary hearing on February 20 in Clark County Justice Court.
What Pet Parents Can Take Away
KTNV’s reporting underscores how pet aftercare relies heavily on trust — and how that trust can be abused without transparency.
Experts urge owners to research cremation providers in advance, ask where remains will be transported, what tracking or documentation is provided, and whether the business is certified or independently inspected.
Anyone who used First Call Pet Cremation or Budget Pet Cremation and suspects problems is advised to gather receipts, contracts, and communications and contact law enforcement or the Attorney General’s Office.