Most Beautiful Pet Cemeteries

For most of us, pets are far more than our furry companions or best friend, they are family, to the point that when it’s time to say the final goodbye, we will make sure they will be honored and commemorated the right way.

Today, cemeteries are not exclusive to humans only. Although modern pet cemeteries have only been in existence since the 1890s, probably recognized as the zenith of a Victorian-era boom in loving pets, but, delegating a special place for these animals’ burials has long been embedded in human’s history.

In fact, a study published in the online journals, Plos One, researchers discovered that hunter-gatherer societies which existed millennia ago buried dogs with tokens of affection or in ways that suggested a special bond with them. There are also historical records of pet burial where people are interred alongside their pets dating back to ancient Egypt.

Without question, people do this out of love and loyalty to their furry family members. Their pets’ resting places are also sources of comfort for their owners and begin to be a fascinating and interesting place to visit for travelers.

Here are 5 of the most beautiful pet cemeteries around the world you have to see before your eyes:

The Cemetery of the Dogs - Paris, France

Who would have thought that the world’s City of Lights and Love has dedicated a wonderful resting place for our departed pets?

Located in one of Paris’ northwestern suburbs, the Cemetery of the Dogs has been a home for the remains of well-heeled pets since 1899. Unlike popular belief, dogs are not the only pets that can be buried in this resting place—other pets and domesticated animals can be too.

Hyde Park’s Hidden Pet Cemetery - London, England

Yes, it is actually not in plain sight.

One of the popular public parks in London is the Hyde Park, but it is not a known fact for many that somewhere in the park lies a pet cemetery.

Dogs began being buried near Victoria Lodge on the northeastern side of the park in 1881, when the owners of a Maltese Terrier named “Cherry” asked Mr. Winbridge, a park gatekeeper if they could bury him there. 

Stories say that Cherry had the time of her life romping all around Hyde Park until her death that year. Eventually, the space in the park became a burying spot, a “little movement” by Victorian ladies and gentlemen during the era.

However, pet owners can no longer bury their deceased pets in this cemetery, probably the reason why not many know about its existence.  The cemetery closed in 1903 and is now known as a “secret pet cemetery.”

A Home for Heroic Dogs - Apra Harbor, Guam

Of course, service dogs have their own resting place too.

The story of how this pet cemetery came to revolve around a dog named Kurt, a heroic Doberman, during the Battle of Guam in 1944. He warned soldiers about an oncoming attack, but he was killed.

After his heroic death, his remains were buried in a temporary Marine cemetery along with 24 other working dogs killed in action until the former Marines decided to dig up their bones and tribute them with the proper resting place they deserve in the 1980s.

In 1994, the National War Dog Cemetery was officially dedicated at the U.S. Marine base in Apra Harbor. The cemetery is open to visitors who can see the dogs’ graves. Kurt has his own memorial too.

Japan’s Corridors of Dogs and Cats - Jindaiji, Japan

The Japanese love their pets too. They have dedicated a resting place more reminiscent of those for humans: corridors of graves and tributes for the furry friends who departed.

One of the most memorable is located in Jindaiji, a western suburb of Tokyo. this cemetery is a bit different from its Western counterparts: instead of ground-buries, it features locker-style vaults that act like little memorials for departed pets. 

Owners and visitors can walk through the corridors and offer flowers and other tributes.

America’s Oldest Pet Cemetery - Hartsdale, New York

Since 1896, the Americans are giving the proper burial their furry friends deserve. Located just 30 minutes north of Manhattan, America’s Oldest Pet Cemetery is home to about 70,000 interments.

The cemetery still offers pet funerals and viewings, above-ground burial and cremation, and a variety of other services. What is unique about this cemetery is it houses a grave to a zoo lion and the first dog in space, Laika.