Animal memorial parks, cremation alternatives among industry trends

When Richard Thompson’s wife of 40 years was nearing the end of her life earlier this year at a Baltimore County hospital, he couldn’t fathom living alone, especially after their two beagles recently had died unexpectedly.

So Thompson, 73, of Baltimore’s Medfield neighborhood, adopted a new rescue beagle named Tucker from Beagle Rescue of Southern Maryland in May. Tucker was the godsend the retired school teacher needed as his wife died in June.