LANSING, Mich. (March 13, 2025) — Today, Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-West Bloomfield) introduced legislation outlining basic requirements for the operation of pet cemeteries in Michigan, protecting pet owners from unregulated and deceptive business practices when laying their pets to rest at these establishments. Cosponsored by Sens. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia), Sue Shink (D-Northfield Twp.), Erika Geiss (D-Taylor), Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe), Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), and Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), Senate Bill 157 seeks to prevent appalling incidents such as what happened with Heavenly Acres Pet Cemetery in Livingston County in 2019, where hundreds of pet owners, including several constituents within Sen. Bayer’s district, were forced to exhume the remains of their animals.
“Obviously, the places Michiganders choose to lay their pets to rest should always be special. What happened at Heavenly Acres Pet Cemetery was heartbreaking, and I want to make sure nothing like that ever happens again,” said Sen. Bayer. “By establishing some basic requirements for pet cemeteries, we’re making sure pet owners in Michigan can trust these places to honor and care for their companions the right way.”
Senate Bill 157 would create new guidelines for pet cemetery owners to adhere to. The new regulations would require them to keep accurate and complete records of all burial agreements, preneed arrangements, and deposits made by pet owners. The bill also requires pet cemeteries to create special care funds to maintain and supervise the cemetery, as well as to pay property taxes and fees for reporting purposes. Additionally, pet cemetery owners must inform pet owners about any changes to the land where their pets are buried under the proposed law.
This bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs for consideration.
###