Vandals desecrate pet cemetery in northwest Miami-Dade

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Police are investigating after a northwest Miami-Dade County pet cemetery was desecrated.

"Stones are moved. They're thrown all over the place," Sam Matter said. "You can see over here, there are stones all cracked and broken. It looks like they hit them with a hammer."

Matter was heartbroken Thursday when he discovered vandals had torn up a beloved pet cemetery where his lifelong furry friends are buried.

The Oaklawn Pet Cementery (sic) is owned by the Humane Society of Greater Miami and sits adjacent to its old building.

"I'd like to ask the Humane Society what's going on because when we got in here, we paid for perpetual care," Matter said.

Matter and his wife frequently visit the cemetery to reflect on their relationships with their dogs. He has a question for the vandals responsible.

"I 'd ask them why, what they got out of it? Just to hurt other people," Matter said. "There's obviously no financial gain from anything. There's no gain of any kind."

Matter said he hopes police catch the culprits.

"We've got pets here that were with us for 15, 16, 18 years before we had to put them down, and they're family. They are," a tearful Matter said. "Sorry. It hurts. It hurts a lot."