Dog owner moves grave from Lake Wales city park

LAKE WALES (FOX 13) - The clock was ticking and Ashley Duey was sick with worry. The city said she would have to dig up her beloved Chihuahua, Jessie Girl from where it was buried in a public park and move it elsewhere.

The city said if Duey didn't move Jessie Girl, city employees would.

"It was like a nightmare. I didn't know what to do," Duey told FOX 13.

Duey wanted to cremate her dog but didn't have the money. So she buried Jessie Girl at Lake Wailes Park earlier this week, next to a shelter because it was her dog’s favorite spot.

But when maintenance workers discovered the decorated grave site, the city posted on their Facebook page that it was not "appropriate" and that the owner had until Wednesday to remove the grave.

RELATED: Lake Wales wants dog's grave moved from city park

On Tuesday, luck was on her side. An anonymous Good Samaritan stepped forward to help.

After Duey and her godson disinterred Jessie Girl, the Good Samaritan took them to a relative's veterinary clinic in Winter Haven - Veterinary Health Care Associates - where Jessie Girl's remains will be cremated. Duey will get a death certificate and an urn, free of charge.

"She is amazing. She is an angel," said Duey. "It is good to know that there are good people out there."

Jessie Girl lived from February of 2012 to July of 2017.

According to websites like Angie's List, pet burials can be very costly. A dog grave can cost $400 to $600. If the cemetery requires the pet be buried in a casket, the burial can cost an additional $50 to $500, depending on the size of the dog and the type of casket.