Bizarre: Man Sets House on Fire While Trying to Cremate Dog
- Posted on July 20, 2011 at 8:24pm by
Billy Hallowell
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A Dale City, Virginia man finds himself in some legal trouble after accidentally setting his house ablaze while trying to cremate his dog. The resulting damage from the initial fire and the water needed to extinguish the flames has left Charles Harris’ home temporarily uninhabitable.
When Harris’ 11-year-old Rottweiler, Thor, died recently, the man claims he attempted to contact local animal hospitals to ask for help in disposing of the body. While the shelters were willing to assist, Harris was told he would need to bring the body to them.
Unfortunately, Harris claims there were two barriers: His car was not large enough and he claimed that the dog was simply “too big” for him, likely referring to a physical inability to lift and move the deceased animal. At least one neighbor claims he had offered his wagon to assist in moving the body, but the individual says he received no response from Harris (this neighbor also complained about the incident, saying, “I‘ll just be glad when the dog’s gone and the smell’s gone. Now I’ve got death and fire smell in the air.”). Insidenova.com reports:
Although Harris did not say which animal hospitals he called, there are pick-up crematory services that animal hospitals can utilize, according to Woodbridge Animal Hospital veterinarian James McDonald…
Larger animals, like a Rottweiler, will cost $388, due to a $129 extra person charge for the animal’s weight, according to Sunset employees.
It is not clear why these services were not utilized. Following his failed attempts at getting the body picked up, last Wednesday around 9 a.m. officials claim that Harris attempted to burn Thor’s remains outside of his home. He allegedly piled wood around the dog, then poured gasoline over him. Once he lit the makeshift crematory, flames shot up the back of the house and engulfed the roof. WJLA-TV reports:
A day after the fire, animal control finally came to take the dog away. According to Prince William County fire and rescue Battalion Chief Joe Robertson, the result of the incident was $70,000 in damages. Being that it is against the law to burn without a permit in the county, Harris was given a summons for outside burning; he has a court date scheduled for August 24.
Despite his resulting legal troubles, Harris praised both the fire department and the Red Cross for assisting him in finding temporary housing while his home is repaired.
(h/t Mail Online)
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Comments (46)
Seabee79
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:07amoh give the guy a break, stupid is as stupid does. maybe he could write a letter to obama for funds to fix his home.
Report Post »Sicialian Eyeball
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:33amHow did I know this guy would be black? With the old washing machine and all the junk in the yard,how can you tell there was even a fire? Idiot.
Report Post »fastfacts
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 6:38amWHAT DO THE CALL IT… SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST…
Obviously this man was not the fittest…
This makes me believe this man was not the fittest as well. Australian man converts to Islam for only a short amount of time, to get bruttally whipped for drinking. It shows he isn’t the fittest that he would convert to live under sharia law which almost comes to his ultimate demise: http://url2it.com/gakf
Report Post »Mainer forever
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 11:05amReligion of Peace….rears its ugly head.
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 4:31amReminds me of the liberals if you can’t get your way burn down the house
Report Post »ohiovalleywizard
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 4:04amthis man is a shoe in for congress
Report Post »klutz
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 3:14amThis can be redeemed. All he needs to do is take loads of drugs, get naked and douse himself in body paint. Voila: “Burning Dog Festival”.
That, or get a Korean chef in.
Report Post »sandy21957
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 12:57ambet he deep fries his turkey indoors too. dig a hole man, dig a hole and bury the dog. looks like you have enough land to do the trick. inbred.
CDBrandon82
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 7:28amNo kidding! What ever happened to just burying a dead animal? $388 for having someone take it away and set it ablaze…not so much!
Report Post »El Paso Girl
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 12:57amI guess digging a whole would of been to much work for the guy….or call Animal Control?????? That’s what I did when my 16 year old very large lab died.
Report Post »Oh.. Well you live & your learn..or burn….
DarkFire
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 11:36pmi think 2 words sum this one up…………………..DUMB-ASSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »BlazingPatriot
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 12:09amNow this is just a “Dog Gone” shame!!
Report Post »(no pun intended)
BlazingPatriot
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 12:11amSo glad “THE BLAZE” is following it!
Report Post »(pun intended)
notmeatglennbeckdotcom
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 11:13pmThis guy could be the Funeral Czar for the death panels in ObamaCare.
Report Post »In The Right
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:54pmThis entire story is sad, I lost my 100 lb devoted Rottie Eva on Oct 1 2010 just ten days after her ninth birthday due to lympho sarcoma (cancer). Eva was my constant companion and I was present the day she was born and cradling her in my arms when she passed away. Her loss was more traumatic then losing my parents as she had regular check-ups and couldn’t communicate something was wrong, her diagnosis on Sept 21 was devastating. No treatment my local vet tried worked and I spoiled her rotten in her last days with fresh cooked chicken and beef added to her food to help maintain her strength and fight off infection. Once she passed I had her cremated which cost nearly $350 (after being assured the service was legitimate), her ashes now rest in a beautiful wooden box that will be placed with me when I pass away.
Eva was unique and most pets owners will tell you the same about their beloved companions, she traveled with my wife and I when we took her mom to Florida for the winter each fall and again when we picked her up and brought her back north for the warmer months. She, Eva would go crazy, bouncing from side-to-side in the back seat of the car as we approached the exit in Florida near the coast recognizing the scent of the Atlantic Ocean breeze knowing we were nearing “grandma’s condo. Once let out of the car I would tell her to “find grandma” and Eva with a Rotties strong scent instinct would climb the stairs & sit outside the condo door waiting to greet her friend
Report Post »srdeftone
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 2:58amSorry for the loss of your pet….. I to can attest to the feelings and connections we have towards are pets, especially dogs. I also lost my Rottweiler about two years ago and I can tell you that she got me through a tough time in my life. She will never be forgotten and will also be buried with me when I enter eternal rest.
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 3:16amWhat he did was stupid, but, It’s not illegal to be stupid. Some of you people need to climb down off your high horses and realize that everybody is not as smart as you. (Sarcasm intended).
Report Post »In The Right
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 8:40pmSrdetone: Thank you and my sympathies to you as well for your loss. Rottweilers are a unique breed devoted to their owners and attuned to their health and overall state, they require a strong dedicated owner due to their willful demeanor and high intelligence.
Report Post »colo43
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:41pmand they walk amongst us.
Report Post »i guess he never heard of Burying the animal.
smokie
Posted on July 21, 2011 at 3:48pmI can’t imagine setting fire to an animal I loved. I had my dog cremated, yeh, but I wasn’t the one doing it, I took him to a pet cemetery.
Report Post »With this guy’s brain, I’m surprised the dog lasted this long, to be honest.
gmeekatty
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:40pmthis is sick on so many levels….
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:29pmIf you going to cook your dog at least invite all the neighbors to bring the BEER!
Report Post »brickmoon
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 11:05pmWe cooked the dog in the ground, got some beer on ice …
Tsk, shames on us.
Report Post »Pelling1020
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:20pmDog gone!!!!
Report Post »fitsgibbons
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:19pm@Snowleopard..I really like the cat gallery. I saw a story on snow leopards living in northern Afghanistan a while back. That is a very beautiful and majestic looking cat. What I really noticed about the snow leopard was it’s eyes. You really reflect that in your paintings in the gallery. Sorry..a little off subject. Carry on.
Report Post »mutslie
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:18pm…………….’it can only happen in America
THNIK
(think)
Report Post »Retired Rev
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:05pmIf this were not so tragic it would be really funny….
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:53pm@Mharry — Good question; could it have been the dog was too heavy and big for him to have moved?
Report Post »There is still something here that does not add up. Probably nothing yet you make a good point.
Captain Crunch
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:50pmDig a big hole, wrap the dog in its favorite blanket and bury him. Nobody from the city has to know anything about it. What’s so hard about that?
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:41pmApparently, too logical for this human. Maybe he had a wake before he started the cremation…too many toasts to the dog!!
Report Post »OverFiend
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:46pmHey Chuck we got this new invention its called a shovel they say a man can dig a hole in the ground with it. maybe you should check it out
Report Post »Karena
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:39pm“My house burned after my dog died.“ Things that make you go ”Hhmmmm.” Was he trying to save money? Does he know that $70,000 is MORE than $388?
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:35pmI don‘t understand why he didn’t just bury him?
Report Post »Contrarian51
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:32pmThe next Budweiser “Real Men of Genius” Commercial, all ready to air.
Report Post »TumbleBumble
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:03pmMr. Light-your-house-on-fire-while-you-torch-your-pet-Rott-wei-LER!
Report Post »Uncle Sammy
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:28pmStupid is as stupid does. Sheesh. Doesn’t the man own a shovel ?
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:34pmYep…you cant fix stupid. And i am sure he does not know what a shovel is for…
Report Post »godhatesacoward
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 9:38pmyou read my mind.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on July 20, 2011 at 10:32pmI rented a backhoe to dig the hole for may Chow/Rottweiler. two years prior I hand dug the hole for my Sheltie/ Shepherd. I spent two hundred dollars both times; one rental, eight chiropractor copays.
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