Louisiana § RS 8:907 - Interment of pet remains

§ RS 8:907. Interment of pet remains

            A. The interment of pet remains in a cemetery may be available to an owner of a cemetery space and other persons having the right of interment in a cemetery space only in those circumstances where all of the following occur:

            (1) The cemetery space is in a cemetery or a specifically designated section of a cemetery where no prior interments of human remains have been made and is dedicated by the cemetery authority to be used for the interment of human remains with cremated pet remains by an official act of dedication or an amendment to an existing dedication filed in accordance with R.S. 8:304(B).

            (2) The interment is incidental to the interment of human remains, whether before, concurrent with, or after the interment of the pet remains.

            (3) Written authorization for the interment of the cremated remains of a pet has been given by the owner of the cemetery space or a person having the right of interment in a cemetery space in accordance with the adopted rules and regulations of the cemetery authority. The cemetery authority shall have no duty or responsibility to determine the ownership of the pet remains or right of the person authorizing the interment of pet remains to make the disposition thereof.

            (4) The use of such cemetery spaces complies with the rules and regulations adopted by the cemetery authority.

            B. Pet remains disposed of in accordance with the provisions of this Section shall be cremated, stored in a closed receptacle, and placed in a grave, vault, crypt, or niche. The cemetery authority shall provide a list of approved charges for the interment of such remains, and a cemetery authority may limit the types of pets and the types of interments of pet remains allowed in a cemetery.

            C. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as requiring a cemetery authority to allow interment of pet remains in a cemetery not dedicated for such purposes in accordance with this Section.

            D. Cremated pet remains shall be considered personal property and, as such, may be included in an interment subject to the terms of this Section and the rules and regulations of a cemetery authority as permitted in this Title.

            E. Nothing in this Section shall operate to cancel or modify preexisting contracts related to cemeteries, interments, or dispositions.

            F. In accordance with this Section, there shall be no liability for a cemetery authority for permitting the interment of cremated pet remains or for not permitting the interment of pet remains in a cemetery that has not been dedicated for the purpose of interment of pet remains.

            Acts 2023, No. 20, §1.