Pet Memorials Gained Acceptance during Battlefields of World War I
Back to Peternity Articles page
01/23/2008
Canine warriors have served as sentries, scouts or messengers since ancient times. But historically, it wasn't until after many dogs were reported to perform acts of heroism on the battlefields of World War I, including the Red Cross dogs, that the concept of pet memorial and the burial of our pets gained wider acceptance.
In fact from 1914 to 1917, more pets were buried at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and Crematory's oldest and most prestigious pet memorial and burial grounds, than during the previous two decades. By the end of the War there were more than 2,000 graves in this Westchester County, New York cemetery where pets are buried in pet urns, and pet caskets, with pet memorial markers.
It all started back in 1896 when prominent New York City Veterinarian Dr. Samuel Johnson offered his apple orchard as a burial plot for a friend's dog. Today, there are more than 70,000 pets buried there, and many have custom pet memorial stones. The cemetery maintains a state of the art pet crematory on the cemetery grounds along with a separate crematory office and range of services including cremation, pet memorials, pet cremation urns and more.
More than 7,000 military canines had served with such great distinction during the War that Hartsdale Canine Cemetery was chosen as the location for a pet memorial. The Directors of the Cemetery donated a sizable parcel of land to have the memorial monument built for $2,500, considered then to be a huge amount of money. It was designed by Walter A. Buttendorf and sculpted by well known designer and builder Robert Caterson, who had worked on Grand Central Station in New York City.
The cemetery described the monument as a "Rustic Boulder executed in the 'Rock of Ages' Barre Vermont Granite, surmounted by a heroic statue of a War Dog, Canteen and Helmet in bronze." Caterson created the majestic ten-foot-high monument with 10 tons of granite from his own Vermont quarry. It was topped with a bronze statue of a handsome shepherd dog wearing a Red Cross blanket. At the shepherd's feet are a bronze helmet and a canteen, and the American flag. Erected in 1923, the War Dog Memorial's unveiling was attended by representatives from every nation that fought in the War.
The Hartsdale Pet Cemetery is the final resting place for many heroic war dogs including "Chips," the only American war dog to receive a military decoration (the Purple Heart and the Silver Star) on the battlefield. Chips served in World War II, and during an invasion of Sicily, he stormed an enemy machine gun pillbox, cornering four soldiers and later that night he helped capture ten more men.
"Boots", a German Shepherd who starred in "Boots and Saddles," a film which glorified the war dog, is buried there. Boots helped raise over $9 million in war bonds. Other hero war dogs are also buried at the Pet Cemetery.
In 2005, The War Dog Memorial was completely refurbished to its original handsome bronze finish. Every year, a pet memorial ceremony is conducted in June to pay tribute not only to military dogs, but to all pets that provide services to mankind.
In fact from 1914 to 1917, more pets were buried at Hartsdale Pet Cemetery and Crematory's oldest and most prestigious pet memorial and burial grounds, than during the previous two decades. By the end of the War there were more than 2,000 graves in this Westchester County, New York cemetery where pets are buried in pet urns, and pet caskets, with pet memorial markers. It all started back in 1896 when prominent New York City Veterinarian Dr. Samuel Johnson offered his apple orchard as a burial plot for a friend's dog. Today, there are more than 70,000 pets buried there, and many have custom pet memorial stones. The cemetery maintains a state of the art pet crematory on the cemetery grounds along with a separate crematory office and range of services including cremation, pet memorials, pet cremation urns and more.
More than 7,000 military canines had served with such great distinction during the War that Hartsdale Canine Cemetery was chosen as the location for a pet memorial. The Directors of the Cemetery donated a sizable parcel of land to have the memorial monument built for $2,500, considered then to be a huge amount of money. It was designed by Walter A. Buttendorf and sculpted by well known designer and builder Robert Caterson, who had worked on Grand Central Station in New York City.
The cemetery described the monument as a "Rustic Boulder executed in the 'Rock of Ages' Barre Vermont Granite, surmounted by a heroic statue of a War Dog, Canteen and Helmet in bronze." Caterson created the majestic ten-foot-high monument with 10 tons of granite from his own Vermont quarry. It was topped with a bronze statue of a handsome shepherd dog wearing a Red Cross blanket. At the shepherd's feet are a bronze helmet and a canteen, and the American flag. Erected in 1923, the War Dog Memorial's unveiling was attended by representatives from every nation that fought in the War.
The Hartsdale Pet Cemetery is the final resting place for many heroic war dogs including "Chips," the only American war dog to receive a military decoration (the Purple Heart and the Silver Star) on the battlefield. Chips served in World War II, and during an invasion of Sicily, he stormed an enemy machine gun pillbox, cornering four soldiers and later that night he helped capture ten more men.
"Boots", a German Shepherd who starred in "Boots and Saddles," a film which glorified the war dog, is buried there. Boots helped raise over $9 million in war bonds. Other hero war dogs are also buried at the Pet Cemetery.
In 2005, The War Dog Memorial was completely refurbished to its original handsome bronze finish. Every year, a pet memorial ceremony is conducted in June to pay tribute not only to military dogs, but to all pets that provide services to mankind.
Technorati Tags: pet memorial, pet cremation urns, dog urns, pet memorials, pet cremation urns, pet memorial stones