Resting place for beloved pets

Mylapore Corporation burial ground has a small corner earmarked for pets

CHENNAI: 15/12/2015: LOYAL REMEMBRANCE: A view of Chennai's only burial ground for pets maintained by the Chennai Corporation in Mylapore. Increase in such facilities would enable pet-lovers to give a honourable burial to their loved pets. Photo : R. Ravindran.

For the last two years, Jimmy was an integral part of N. Naren’s family. Now the family, whose house is located near Potti Kadai bus stop in Otteri, is in mourning as the pet dog is suspected to have been washed away in the recent floods.

Naren and his family are not alone. There are many others who have lost their pets during the floods. According to animal rights activists, thousands of people lost their pets during the recent deluge. For some of these animal lovers, besides the pain of losing their pets, there has been the added suffering of not knowing where to bury them.

There is only one place for animal lovers to bury their pets: a small corner earmarked for pets at the Mylapore Corporation burial ground. Not many pet owners are, however, aware of this provision and, so, very few use it.

In this ‘pet corner’ at the burial ground, one sees tombs having been erected for some of the beloved animals. One belongs to Cookie Balaraman. On this tomb, some boys were seen placing flowers.

“Many people bury their dead pets here,” says one of the boys.

R. Sokkalingam, veterinary officer, Madras Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA), says many people bury their pets in their houses. The problem arises when people live in flats or in any other arrangement, where they do not have a backyard.

“It will be ideal if more burial places are created for pets. There should be one for south, central, north and west Chennai,” adds Sokkalingam.