History of SF Pet Cemetery Unearthed, Preserved

Image via honan.net

Today the Chronicle published my friend Sally's wonderful piece about a pet cemetery in San Francisco's Presidio national park. In danger of being demolished during the reconstruction of a main thoroughfare, the story caught Sally's attention while she visited from her current home, Berlin.

There is almost no official documentation on the cemetery, and little is definitively known about its history. . . . The cemetery, which has been officially full since 1963, has always operated in something of a gray zone.

"We don't patrol," said Harrell, who said that while he does not encourage the practice, "if you want to go bury your cat at night, nobody is going to arrest you."

Thanks to pet owners who flaunt the rules, the pet cemetery remains active - something that Ruth, an architect in San Francisco who did not want to use her last name, cited as a reason she buried her beloved 24-year-old cat Blinken there.

"I wanted someplace special," said Ruth, also noting the spot's spectacular bay view. "So my husband and I went on a Sunday afternoon, and I dug a hole up in what we call the 'good neighborhood' - an area with marble headstones, under a shade tree - and read a poem."

And thanks to Sally, a few more people have learned about this piece of local history and of the memories whose safety is now assured.