A candle is always lit for Hossli on All Saints’ Day. But not just then. The former owner and his wife come to the middle schnauzer’s grave two or three times a week. Overgrown with moss and flowers, colorful autumn leaves and flowers are arranged in a wreath.
“Hossli suddenly collapsed while walking last February,” says the 72-year-old, who chose not to be named. The animal hospital could no longer help the seven-year-old dog, the tumor was too advanced. “It came as a complete surprise. We didn’t dare throw the dog in a plastic bag,” he says. “Hossli was like our son.”
Animals are like a family member
In the pet cemetery in Wisenberg in Läufelfingen BL, Hossli is not the only place where dogs and cats rest, a sheep and a pony, canaries, turtles and even a lizard are buried here. “Everyone is welcome here,” says Marlies Mörgeli (65). He started the cemetery 20 years ago. Since then, more than 1,500 animals have found their final resting places here, loving each and every one of them. She says: “For many, a dog or cat is like a family member. That’s why it’s important to have a place to mourn and remember the person you love.”
Can understand the emotions of those affected. “When we had to say goodbye to our Seppli, I looked for a place to bury him.” That’s when the idea of a pet cemetery arose thanks to the Yorkshire crossbreed. It’s a heart project of her and her ever-deceased husband, Urs. His ashes are buried in his favorite place, the pond.
New graves for humans and animals
Yes, people also find their final resting place here. “They want to sleep with their animals,” says Mörgeli. He has 17 urns so far, ten more resting places have been reserved. Clearly organizing such a concern before death is important for the bereaved to respect.
The demand for such offers is growing. That’s why the Nordheim Cemetery in Zurich recently opened the first grave for “people and animals” with 120 spaces. “The animal has a completely different status than it used to be,” says Bruno Bekowies, 56, vice-president of the burial and burial office in Zurich.
Although there was a possibility of adding the samovar of a deceased animal to a grave, it was only much later, and there was no name on the gravestone. “With the new concept, the animal’s ashes can be buried in front of the mistress or master with a name tag,” says Bekowies. For legal reasons, it is not possible to have a burial place for animals only in a public cemetery. According to Bekowies, the consensus was well received: “We’ve already received inquiries from people who don’t have animals but feel connected to them and therefore want to find their final resting place in this environment.”
Tierli’s death is as painful as anyone
This is not unusual for the Reformed pastor Andrea Marco Bianca (60). Research says grieving for a loved one can be just as painful as losing someone. “It’s not about humanizing the animal, it’s about taking a legitimate human emotion seriously.”
Animals are spirit creatures and play an important role for their owners. This is especially true for single people. But even for children, the loss of a pet is often the first to face death: “We burned our cats and buried them in the garden. It was an important ritual for our children.”