Opinion: ‘Until we meet again, brave little cat.’ The heartbreak and taboo of burying our pets | CNN

The way we treat our deceased pets is often overshadowed by our burial rituals for human loved ones. However, the emotional significance of losing a pet cannot be underestimated.

For centuries, humans have buried their dead, but this practice has only become more widespread and socially accepted in recent years. In contrast, the tradition of burying or remembering our beloved animals has been around since the 19th century, with the establishment of the first public pet cemetery in London's Hyde Park in 1881.

In many ways, the way we treat the bodies of our deceased pets is a reflection of how deeply connected we are to them. A study by Eric Tourigny, an archaeologist who has researched the history of pet cemeteries, found that in Britain during the Victorian era, gravestones were often dedicated to "loving friends" or "devoted companions," indicating that pets were considered important companions.

As societal attitudes towards human-animal relationships have evolved over time, so too have our burial practices for pets. In recent years, there has been a growing acceptance of co-burial and cremation of both humans and animals, which will likely lead to changing funerary and commemoration practices.

One remarkable similarity between modern and historic pet cemeteries is the heartbreak and taboos surrounding grieving for animals. Just like with human relationships, people struggle to express their pain after losing a beloved pet, often hiding their feelings due to fear of social repercussions.

Charities such as the RSPCA and Blue Cross offer counseling services for bereaved pet owners, reassuring them that there is no shame in expressing grief. Online forums and digital pet cemeteries also provide alternative ways for people to commemorate and remember their pets.

The establishment of a public pet cemetery in Barcelona may help normalize the practice of burying or remembering our beloved animals, bringing closure to those who have lost their companions. At an estimated cost of €200 per service, this opportunity will not be financially available to everyone in the city, highlighting the need for accessible and inclusive options.

Ultimately, whether one chooses a pet cemetery or other forms of remembrance, there are many ways to express grief and remember our relationships with the animals that have touched our lives. By acknowledging the emotional significance of losing a pet and providing accessible support systems, we can work towards creating a more compassionate society for both humans and animals.
 
I think it's awesome that there's growing acceptance around co-burial and cremation of both humans and animals 🙏. It shows how much people care about the ones they've lost, regardless if it's a pet or a loved one. I mean, can you imagine having a funeral or memorial for your furry best friend? 🐾💔 I think it's so beautiful that charities like RSPCA and Blue Cross offer counseling services to help people process their grief. It's all about being open and honest about our feelings, even if it means breaking some taboos 😊. The idea of public pet cemeteries is a great way to provide closure for those who've lost their companions. Who knows, maybe one day we'll have more inclusive options that make it accessible to everyone 💖
 
Pet cemeteries are about time lol 🤣 think about it, humans got all these fancy burial spots but they still don't know what to do with the ones that actually cared for them 😂 like seriously though, it's not just about the money tho, it's about ppl feeling comfortable showing their emotions and not being judged 🤷‍♀️ i mean who says u gotta be "strong" when u lose a pet? That's such a human thing to say. animals don't care about that stuff, they just know u're hurt and need some love 💕
 
can you imagine having a proper sendoff for your furry friends like you do with human loved ones? 🐾💔 it's crazy how our feelings about pet loss are still kinda taboo tho... everyone hides behind "it's just an animal" but i know that's not true. we form deep bonds, love & care for them just like we would with humans... they're part of the family! 🏠❤️

i wish more pet cemeteries popped up like in Barcelona, making it easier for people to grieve & remember their pets in a special way. €200 tho? that's still pretty steep for some ppl 🤑 but at least it shows there's a growing acceptance of this kinda thing... maybe one day we can have public ceremonies or somethin' 🕊️
 
I'm so sad when I hear about people who've lost their furry family members 🐾😢. It's like, they're not just pets, they're part of the family too, you know? And it's crazy that we still don't have more options for pet owners to say goodbye properly 🤔.

I mean, €200 for a public pet cemetery in Barcelona is like, way out of budget for most people 😳. But at least there are other ways to cope with the loss, like online forums and counseling services from charities 🐾❤️.

It's amazing that we're slowly becoming more accepting of co-burial and cremation for both humans and animals, it shows we value our relationships with them more 💕. And I love how some pet cemeteries are starting to offer personalized gravestones with names and dates, like they're getting their own little memorial services 🎉.

I wish more places would have pet-friendly funeral services or at least some sort of support group for people who've lost their pets 👫. It's just nice to know we're not alone in our grief 😔.
 
😔 I think it's really beautiful how people are starting to acknowledge the impact pets have on our lives 🐾❤️. It's not always easy to talk about when you're grieving, but having a space to remember and say goodbye can be super helpful 💕. The fact that charities like the RSPCA are offering counseling services shows that we care about each other's feelings 💗. A public pet cemetery in Barcelona is a great idea 🌞, even if it's not accessible to everyone (let's hope they find ways to make it more affordable 🤞). For me, it's all about respecting the bond between humans and animals 🐾💕, and finding ways to honor those relationships 💯.
 
I'm so sick of people hiding their feelings when they lose a pet 🙄. I mean, come on, it's okay to be sad! Just like with human relationships, you feel that connection with your furry friend, so it's natural to grieve. Don't need no fancy pet cemetery or expensive counseling services to validate your emotions 💸. A simple online memorial or a walk in the park with a picture of your pet can do the trick 🌳. And by the way, €200 for a service? That's like asking people to sacrifice their dignity 🤑. We should be making it easier and more accessible for everyone to pay their respects, not breaking the bank 💸.
 
I think it's amazing how much thought goes into planning the final goodbye to our furry friends 🐾💔. It's crazy to think that pets have been considered as part of our families for so long, with gravestones dedicated to "loving friends" or "devoted companions". 🤯 We need to make sure everyone has access to these pet cemeteries, especially not just the ones in fancy locations like Barcelona 💸. Online forums and digital pet cemeteries are a great way for people to honor their pets, but it's still super sad that we have to hide our grief 🤕. I think it's awesome that charities are offering counseling services to help people process their emotions 😊.
 
🐾💔 I totally get why people want to bury or cremate their pets - it's like they're saying goodbye to another member of the fam 🤠. It's crazy how much emotional attachment we have with our furry friends, even though we know it's not rational 😂. I mean, who needs a fancy car or a dream vacation when you can have a snuggly cat or dog on your couch? 🐈👀 In all seriousness tho, it's awesome that there are places like pet cemeteries and online forums where people can grieve and remember their pets in a meaningful way. And yeah, it's sad that some ppl feel ashamed to express their feelings after losing a pet... but with more awareness & support, we can create a culture that accepts and celebrates the human-animal bond 💖
 
I mean, think about it, we're all obsessed with those cute animal vids on TikTok 🐶💕 but when they pass away, we freak out! 😩 Like, seriously, how much do our pets mean to us? It's not just about the emotional attachment, it's also about the memories and experiences we shared together. I had a goldfish that lived for like 5 years, and I still remember feeding him and watching him swim around his tank 🐟😂. Losing him was tough, but at least I could say goodbye with a proper funeral 🌹. This pet cemetery in Barcelona is a great idea, more options for people to grieve and celebrate their pets' lives. We should be more open about our feelings and support each other 🤗.
 
I think it's kinda weird how people always talk about human burials but neglect their pets 🐾💔. I mean, dogs have been our buddies for centuries too! 🙌 My cat passed away last year and I was really struggling to cope with the loss 😭. It's so important that we acknowledge the emotional pain of losing a pet because they're still family members in our eyes 👪. I wish there were more affordable options like this Barcelona pet cemetery, it could make a huge difference for people who can't afford private services 💸. We should be more understanding and supportive of each other's grief, whether it's human or animal 🤝💕
 
I'm thinking 🤔... it's crazy how much love and care we put into burying our human loved ones, but our furry friends are just kinda... an afterthought 😕. Like, when was the last time you thought about your pet's final resting place? 🐾💀. But seriously, I think it's awesome that there's a growing awareness of how much animals mean to us. Losing a pet is like losing a member of the family, and it's totally okay to feel sad and grieve 😔. Having options for pet cemeteries and online forums to remember our pets makes me happy 🌟... and who knows, maybe one day we'll have public pet cemeteries in cities all over the world 🌎!
 
I just saw this thread about public pet cemeteries 🐾💔 and I gotta say, it's really interesting how people treat their pets differently than our humans. I mean, I've lost my cat like 2 years ago and I'm still getting emotional thinking about it 😭. It's crazy how we consider them a part of the family and yet they're treated like an afterthought when they pass away. The whole co-burial thing is kinda weird too...I don't know if I could ever put my human in the same plot as my cat 🤢. But seriously, it's great that there are places popping up where people can say goodbye to their pets properly. Maybe one day we'll have more affordable options for everyone 💕.
 
OMG u guys 🤯, I'm literally so down 4 public pet cemeteries everywhere!!! 💀 like it's time we give our furry/ scaly friends the same respect as our humans lol! 🙅‍♂️ I mean think about it, we spend so much time & $$$ on our fave pets & they are always there 4 us when we need them. It's only right we can say goodbye in a special way too 💕. And yeah, it's crazy how ppl still struggle 2 express their grief after losin a pet 😔 but at least now there r more options like online forums & cemeteries 🌻. Let's make our pets feel just as loved & remembered as our humans! 💗
 
its crazy how we spend so much time & money on funeral homes & human burials but still kinda neglect our pets 🐶💔 i mean think about it our pets are like part of the fam too they give us love & companionship just like people do but sometimes its hard to accept when they pass away 🤕 and then there are these amazing pet cemeteries popping up all over the world thats so cool 🌎 but at the same time its also kinda sad that we need a special place to remember our pets because thats what it feels like we should just be able to grieve & move on like we do with humans 💔 anyway i think its great that theres more people talking about pet loss & grief and maybe this will lead to more inclusive options for everyone 🤞
 
You know what's wild 🤯? We're always talking about how important it is to honor our human loved ones when they pass away, but have you ever stopped to think about the emotional significance of losing a pet? 🐾💔 I mean, we bury our dead pets just like our humans, but only recently has that become more socially accepted. It's like, our pets are literally family too, right? 🤷‍♂️ And don't even get me started on how hard it is to express grief after losing a pet - the taboos and heartbreak around it are so similar to human relationships. It's crazy that we need charities and online forums to help people work through their emotions 💔. A public pet cemetery in Barcelona sounds like an amazing idea, but €200 a pop? That's just out of reach for some people 🤑. What I do love is that there's a growing acceptance of co-burial and cremation - maybe one day we'll see more inclusive options that make it easier to say goodbye to our furry friends 💕.
 
I feel so sad when I think about people not being able to afford a proper goodbye for their pets 🐾😔. It's like, our furry friends are still family too! We need to make sure everyone has access to these kind of services, whether it's affordable or online options 💡. And can you imagine having a digital pet cemetery? That would be so cool...and comforting 🤯. I think we should start a conversation about making pet funeral services more inclusive and accessible for all 📢.
 
I'm thinking... 🤔 it's crazy how we're finally starting to acknowledge the importance of grieving for our pets. I mean, they're like family members or something 😂. It's time for us to treat them with respect too, not just when they're alive. The idea of co-burial and cremation is still a bit weird for me, but at least it shows we're moving in the right direction. 🌟 I wish more pet cemeteries were accessible, you know? Like, my friends who lost their pets can't afford to bury them properly. It's heartbreaking. 😔 But hey, maybe this Barcelona thing will inspire more cities to do something similar. Fingers crossed! 🤞
 
I feel so bad that people still struggle to talk about their grief when it comes to losing pets 🤕. Like, we're so used to being told to "get over it" or "it's just an animal", but the truth is, they're our families, too 🐶💕. I wish there were more options for pet owners who can't afford a fancy pet cemetery - maybe community-led spaces where people can share their memories and say goodbye to their furry friends in a safe space? 🌿 It's time we started valuing the emotional toll of losing our pets just as much as we do when it comes to human loved ones ❤️.
 
lol, people are finally starting to treat their pets like they're people too 🤣 anyway, i think it's crazy that we need a public pet cemetery in barcelona just because we don't want to pay €200 to bury our fur babies 💸 but seriously, it's about time we acknowledge the emotional pain of losing a pet. my aunt lost her cat last year and she was super bummed out for months 🐈💔 the fact that charities are offering counseling services is a good start, though 👍
 
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