Hartsdale Pet Cemetery: Part Two
Aside from all of the ridiculous names (I'm still laughing at Freckles Rutherford) to be found at the Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, what really got to me were all of the heartfelt epitaphs from grief-striken owners to their dearly departed pets. Every "human" cemetery I've been to includes the usual sentiments, from "Rest in Peace," and "Dear Mother," to more heartfelt declarations such as "Friend to All," or "Never Forgotten."
But at Hartsdale it seemed as if almost every single stone had an achingly sad and personal inscription, from "My One and Only," or "The Love of My Life," to thoughtful eulogies such as "They Gave Nothing But Love and Affection," and "Dillon loved biscuits, sticks, snow, fetch, burgers, walks, sitting outside, and his family as much as we love him" (Dillon and I have a lot in common).
These deeply personal and heartwrenching words really tugged at my pet-loving soul and caused me to tear up almost immediately. I've never been surrounded by so many loving words and the affection that each owner felt toward their pet was incredibly moving.
I walked by the graves of at least two cats dueling it out for all of eternity for the title of "Best Cat Ever" — Tara and Bentley — Hodge the "Good Gray Cat," Fudge who was "A Most Remarkable Cat," Sport, who "Was Born a Dog and Died a Gentleman," and Rusty, who was a "Perfect Little Gentleman." I wonder if Sandy, who was apparently the "Best Dog in America," knew that it was actually Spot who was "Best Dog in the World."
"Our Little Sweetpea" choked me up because that's what I call Mozart on the days where I'm not annoyed with her for screaming in my face, and I totally think I would have loved Woodstock, who by definition was "one hell of a cat" and, inexplicably, "often mistaken for a meatloaf."
The countless "I Love Yous" and "Thank Yous" were undeniably sweet, but it was Yahtzee's stone with its "My Guiding Angel" inscription and photo of him with his blind master that finally broke me and caused me to shed actual tears after trying my best to hold back all day.
Hartsdale Pet Cemetery: