The Sea Breeze Pet Cemetery isn’t too far from our house. It’s not something I drive by all the time, though. The first few times I saw it, I was rather disturbed by it. The graves there are decorated with all kinds of things—flowers, banners, pinwheels, etc. Not too different from a human cemetery—just way more of it.
It sort of bothered me that people would do so much for the graves of pets, when human graves aren’t that well tended. But then one day I decided to go take some pictures there, early in the morning. The sun was shining, and the feeling I got there was really something.
People put these banners with dogs on them up near the graves. The grave stones have drawings of dogs on them. And you can just feel the love.
And I’m not talking about the love the owners had for their pets, although that is obvious by the grave decorations.
No, I’m talking about the love the animals had for their owners.
There’s nothing like a dog for unconditional love.
RIP, old buddy, Duke.
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:38 am
These pet cemetery pictures are very cool. And sweet. I’m not a big animal person, but even my heartstrings feel a little tug with “Our Buddy Duke”.
At the cemetery my mom is buried in, people go all out decorating the graves, especially around the holidays. One Christmas there were Christmas trees and Santas and reindeer and giant candy cane lawn ornaments. There was even a “Santa Stops Here” sign on one grave. Kind of bizarre. And a little creepy. I’m also amazed at how many people picnic at gravesides with coolers, lawn chairs, the whole bit. I don’t get it.
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
That’s sweet. And I love the pictures (as always). I remember you posted one of them before–and now I know…the REST of the story. (Paul Harvey impression, doesn’t translate so well to the internet.)
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I’m impressed you remembered it, Mad.
BTL: I went to a human cemetery last Halloween and it was really sad to see all the fancy Halloween decorations on graves. They were all kids’/teenagers’ graves that had them. There’s one old guy who’s there almost everytime I go, sitting in a lawn chair reading. I assume he’s visiting his wife’s grave.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:20 am
great post!