The dog cemetery is located near Paris, in Asnières-sur-Seine.
Founded in 1899, it is considered to be the world’s first modern-era pet cemetery.
With just under 900 graves, its name is not fully accurate.
The plots also serve as resting places for horses, sheep, monkeys, a chicken, and many cats.
This reflects a shift in late Victorian-era society, which was finally beginning to treat pets as full members of the family.
This is, of course, from a contemporary colonial perspective, as respect was natural for certain nationalities and cultures long before that.
Pet cemeteries are commonplace in the rest of the world, but not in this specific format with headstones, pictures, flowers and decorations.
The site was listed as a historic monument in 1987.
Around 90,000 animals have been buried there over the last century, including the famous Rin Tin Tin, the German shepherd who starred in the eponymous series in the 1950s.
The graveyard is melancholic and very quiet despite its proximity to the city.
It’s our own little “Pet Sematary,” without the zombies, just memories of cherished pets.
While the Père Lachaise is famous for its human graves, this one holds its place in the spotlight, but doesn’t attract the crowds.
The cemetery can be visited for a few euros at the entrance, but be warned…
If you’re a little on the sensitive side, reading the headstones will not leave you unmoved.
Ready to visit the pet cemetery ?
