Editor’s Note: Eric Tourigny is a lecturer in historical archaeology at Newcastle University, UK. His research interprets osteological and cultural material and historical texts to examine the changing relationships between humans and animals in Europe and North America over the last 500 years. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinions on CNN.
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Why do we bury our departed loved ones in a cemetery? One of the main purposes is to give survivors an opportunity to grieve and find closure. The cemetery is a place for the living as well as the dead.
But what about when our lost loved ones aren’t humans, but our pets?
The Spanish city of Barcelona recently announced that it will invest in the country’s first public pet cemetery. It is set to open next year and will offer both burials and cremations, with around 7,000 burials taking place each year.
For someone who has spent years studying the development of pet cemeteries around the world, this news came as a shock. Barcelona is a densely populated city with limited private land – an area where 50% of families own a pet.
How come a city that is home to 180,000 dogs does not yet have a public pet cemetery? Until now, this service was only provided by the private sector, according to Barcelona’s councilor for climate emergency and ecological transition, Eloi Badia. He added that this initiative funded by the municipality was born from a “constant public demand”.
After all, public pet cemeteries have existed in Europe and the Americas since the late 19th century. Britain’s first public pet cemetery appeared in London’s Hyde Park in 1881. New York’s Hartsdale Pet Cemetery was founded in 1896, followed a few years later by the ornate Cimetière des Chiens in Paris in 1899.
I became interested in the history of modern pet burial practices while investigating the archaeological remains of a centuries-old house in Toronto. I discovered a (very) large dog buried in the back yard that, according to historical records, was occupied between 1840 and 1870.
This dog survived to a ripe old age but sadly suffered from degenerative joint disease and severe infections in his final months. His health problems progressed to the point where it appears he received some level of care in his final weeks. He was later buried in a personal plot behind the family home.
This elderly dog got me thinking about the different ways people interact with their pets’ bodies after they die. Could this behavior reflect the relationships they had with their pets while they were alive? If so, why take the time to carefully bury a dog in its own space when other, arguably easier, options existed?
After all, this was a time when people often threw their dead pets into the river, or sold their bodies for meat and skins.
Good hygiene is an obvious reason to choose a burial – no one wants rotting animal bodies on the street or in their garden – but that wouldn’t immediately justify a personalised, dedicated burial and headstone.
The simplest option would be to throw a dead animal in the trash. But such treatment would obviously be less ceremonious and would not provide an appropriate emotional conclusion to a likely important relationship.
Much like the burial of people, the burial of pets is an intimate cultural practice that evolves over time and reflects the changing relationships a society has with its cherished creatures.
My study of historic gravestones and epitaphs in Britain from the Victorian era to the present day shows the changing human-animal relationship. In the 19th century, gravestones were often dedicated to a “loving friend” or “devoted companion,” suggesting that pets were primarily seen as important friends.
By the early 20th century, pets had become members of the family, as evidenced by the appearance of family names on tombstones and affectionate epitaphs written by “Mom and Dad.”
Society’s attitude towards the role of animals in the afterlife also changed. A few decades later, gravestones were more likely to refer to reunions than earlier ones. For example, the owners of Denny, the “brave little cat” buried in an east London cemetery in 1952, wrote on his epitaph, “God bless you until we meet again.”
I wonder what the epitaphs in Barcelona’s new cemetery will reveal about modern Catalans’ relationships with animals.
Over time, our treatment of animal corpses seems to reflect an even closer relationship with life. Once strictly prohibited by law, many jurisdictions, such as New York State, have in the last decade permitted the joint burial of cremated animals and people, which will undoubtedly lead to changes in funeral and memorial practices for both humans and animals.
For me, the most remarkable similarity between modern and historical pet cemeteries is the striking evidence of the grief and taboos surrounding pet mourning.
The bond between a person and their pet can be just as strong and meaningful as their relationships with other human beings. Yet today, as it was over 100 years ago, people continue to struggle to find the appropriate way to express their pain, hiding their grief for fear of the social repercussions that might come from publicly acknowledging the existence of such a bond.
The RSPCA reassures the public on its website that there is no need to be ashamed of your grief. In the UK, charities such as Blue Cross and Rainbow Bridge Pet Loss Grief Centre offer bereavement counselling services.
Close relationships between humans and animals have existed for millennia, but in Western European cultures, there were few acceptable ways to mourn the loss of that relationship. As society increasingly accepts the importance of human-animal relationships to our collective well-being, it is not surprising to find ourselves following rituals that resemble those we use to mourn the loss of our closest human relationships.
With an estimated cost of €200 ($217) per service at Barcelona’s New Cemetery, it is important to recognize that this opportunity to grieve will not be financially accessible to everyone in the city.
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This location won’t be suitable for every pet in town. Pet owners can choose to keep cremated ashes at home or scatter them in a meaningful place. Online forums and digital pet cemeteries also offer other opportunities to commemorate the relationship and express grief.
Whether or not you choose a pet cemetery, there are many acceptable ways to express your grief – and remember your relationship with the important animals in your life.
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