Bridgeville.org

News from Bridgeville, PA

Menu
  • Services
    • Borough Administration
    • Building & Zoning Permits
    • Animal Control
    • Fire Department
    • EMS
    • Library
    • Parking
    • Parks & Rec
      • Park and Field Rentals
      • Beadling Soccer Club
      • Bridgeville Athletic Association
      • CV Junior Colts Football
      • CV Soccer Association
    • Police Department
    • Public Works
    • School District
    • Tax Office
    • Trash and Recycling
  • Business
    • Chamber of Commerce
    • Building & Zoning Permits
    • Tenant Registration Form
  • Places of Worship
    • Beloved Tribe
    • Bethany Presbyterian Church
    • Bridgeville United Methodist Church
    • Calvary Full Gospel Church
    • First Baptist Church of Bridgeville
    • Holy Child Catholic Parish and School
    • New Life Fellowship
    • Old Saint Luke’s Church
    • St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
    • St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
    • Temple Emanuel
    • Vineyard Christian Fellowship of SW Pittsburgh
    • Zion Lutheran Church
  • Government
    • Council Meetings – Videos & Minutes
    • Other Local Meetings
    • Borough Code
    • Open Records & Right-to-Know
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Main / For A Few Residents, Fight Against Pet Crematory May Never Die

For A Few Residents, Fight Against Pet Crematory May Never Die

February 27, 2020 By Tim McNellie

131 Washington Avenue. Image by Google Maps.
131 Washington Avenue. Image by Google Maps.

Pittsburgh Pets at Home is a mobile veterinary service that provides in-home euthanasia so that dying animals can pass away in the comfort of familiar surroundings, rather than in a cold room at a vet’s office.

Last year, the company purchased the property at 131 Washington Avenue in Bridgeville and recently received a building permit to remodel part of the building to accommodate a pet crematory.

However, a few Bridgeville residents are less than thrilled about the new business moving into town.

Several people who live near 131 Washington Avenue have voiced their opposition to the crematory at borough council meetings for at least the past eight months.

Their objections have been framed as concerns about parking, zoning, square-footage measurements, procedural matters, and the general safety of crematories.

In this Feb. 10, 2020 videos, Bridgeville resident John Rattenni asks council about the pet crematorium planned for 131 Washington Avenue.

Most recently, Bridgeville resident John Rattenni asked council to revoke a conditional use permit for the project, arguing that Bridgeville did not properly notify residents ahead of time.

“There was no notice of this,” he said at the Feb. 10 council meeting. “Our rights to have a conversation about this were taken away… Back it out and do it right.”

Bridgeville solicitor Thomas McDermott said that if Rattenni believes there is a procedural violation, the resident can take it to court.

As it stands, after 12 months of reviews, approvals, and a few site plan tweaks, borough officials determined that the crematorium complies with local requirements.

Before Pittsburgh Pets at Home fires up its natural gas-powered incinerator, though, it will have to receive permits from the Allegheny County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, both of which regulate crematories and monitor air quality.

This DEP operating permit for an animal crematorium in Lancaster, Pa., for example, contains 26 pages of rules and regulations pertaining to such businesses.

Rattenni expressed disappointment that the crematorium seems to have passed all local hurdles, but he said that the issue might not be dead.

“I know that I’m not going to convince you [otherwise],” he told council. “I will deal with it the best I can, but I am very bitter about this.”

“If there is a smell, you will hear from us,” he said. “And if they continue to use my parking lot for turning around, you will hear from us.

Councilman Nino Petrocelli Sr. noted that there has been another pet crematory operating further up Washington Avenue for years, with no complaints from residents.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Filed Under: Main, News


bridgeville public meetings: videos and minutes

Upcoming Events

  • There are no upcoming events.

Upcoming Meetings

Jun 12
7:00 PM Recurring

BV Borough Council

Jun 19
7:30 PM Recurring

BV Parking Authority Meeting

Jun 19
7:30 PM Recurring

Bridgeville Parking Authority Meeting

Jun 19
7:30 PM Recurring

Bridgeville Parking Authority Meeting

Jun 20
7:00 PM Recurring

Library Board Meeting

Jun 26
7:00 PM Recurring

Planning Commission Meeting

View Calendar
watch bridgeville historical society presentations online

Creative Commons License
Except where otherwise noted, content on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.