No, Stephen King, not THAT pet cemetery. The residents of these burial grounds might not be able to sit, but they do stay. Humans have extended funeral rituals to their furry family members for millennia and animal graveyards often mirror human ones. These are the largest, oldest, and most famous, plus one that is fading from memory.
The oldest known pet cemetery lies in southern Egypt and dates to 75-150 AD. Archeologists discovered nearly 100 animal skeletons. The burials were mostly cats, with a few dogs and monkeys. The skeletons did not show evidence of violence or disease and lay in restful poses. Two kittens had ostrich eggshells bead near their necks, and three cats and a monkey had iron collars still in place. These clues rule out sacrifice or a trash pile and point to a carefully planned and tended animal cemetery.
The pet cemetery with the most famous residents may be Le Cimetière des Chiens et Autres Animaux Domestiques in Asnières-Sur-Seine, a northwestern suburb of Paris. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest pet cemeteries in the world. Its distinguished decedents include animal actors, police and military service dogs and horses, and exotic pets. Moustache, the horse mascot of Napoleon’s army, reposes there. The famous Rintintin is also interred in Le Cimetière. The honor of the cemetery‘s 40,000th burial was that of a stray dog who passed away outside the cemetery gates. The cemetery is also home to a community of stray cats who are cared for by local volunteers.
New York is home to the first and largest operating pet cemetery. Hartsdale Pet Cemetery was founded somewhat by accident in 1896. Veterinarian Dr. Samuel Johnson was approached by a grieving client who had nowhere to bury her beloved dog. He offered space in his apple orchard, and she gratefully accepted. Soon more people were coming to Dr. Johnson, and he saw the need for a burial ground dedicated to animals. Today the cemetery is affectionately known as The Peaceable Kingdom and contains the remains of over 80,000 pets from dogs and cats to a lion cub. Plots, memorial services, and cremation are still available, with burial services starting at $2,000.
In my next post, I investigate a local pet cemetery in Fall River, Massachusetts and make an interesting discovery!
References
http://www.iaopc.com/pet-owners
https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-pet-cemeteries-20171026-story.html
https://www.travelfranceonline.com/cimetiere-des-chiens-dosg-cemetery-asnieres/
Playing Marbles for Keeps 
Leave a comment