Something to do with a Dead Dog
Paris is home to some wonderful cemeteries, some of which have become tourist attractions in their own right. There is one cemetery, however, which is far less visited but fascinating all the same. Until 1899, if you were a dog owner and your beloved pet died… well you threw him in a bin or, if you were feeling particularly civic minded that day, you tossed him into the Seine and watched him float away, perhaps whispering a short prayer as you did so. As the population in the city had climbed to 2.5 million by then, this was clearly not a desirable state of affairs.
In 1899 in Asnieres-sur-Seine just North West of the city a small piece of land was set aside and the world’s first pet cemetery was born. The cemetery, with its easy to roll off the tongue name, is called Le Cimetiere des Chiens et Autres Animaux Domestique and is still in use today. At the time of its creation it was believed that it would mainly be used for the burial of dogs and cats. Parisians, however, are fond of their pets, and since its inception there have been rabbits, monkeys, horses and even a lion laid to rest there. The lion had been a pet that had belonged to Marguerite Durand, a stage actress, journalist and suffragette who helped found the cemetery. Each animal has its own tombstone, some of them elaborate enough to compete easily with those of their human counter parts. Many of the graves are faithfully tended and decorated with the fresh flowers that you would expect to find in a cemetery but with the addition of the odd favourite tennis ball or beloved chewy toy.
As befits a cemetery with such a long pedigree, some celebrities have been interned there and one of those was the famous American television star Rin Tin Tin. For those of you slightly younger readers who might not have heard of him, Rin Tin Tin was a dog who rated right up there with doggy super stars such as Lassie, Old Yeller and Scooby Doo. The original dog was found on a French battle field during World War I, nursed back to health and then brought to the US by the soldier who had saved him. The German shepherd would go on to star in 27 Hollywood films, be nominated for a best actor award and have his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When he died regular programs all over the US were interrupted so that the nation could be informed of the tragedy. He was first buried in the US but his body was later reburied in the famous pet cemetery where it lies today.
Another famous dog that has been buried there is a Saint Bernard by the name of Barry. Barry’s tomb, a massive monument, tells of how he rescued forty people caught in blizzards in the Swiss Alps between 1800 and 1812. He died while performing the forty first rescue attempt.
In 2003 a poodle called Tipsy was laid to rest wearing his diamond studded collar. In 2012 the tomb was desecrated by grave robbers who stole the diamonds valued at 9000 Euros.
In 1958 a stray dog died against the doors of the cemetery and became the 40 000th animal to be buried there. In 1987 attempts were made to close the cemetery but this caused such outrage that the mayor had it declared a site of historical interest thus ensuring it government protection. Today the cemetery is still in use and there are over 90 000 pets buried there. With its crumbling graves and statues this is a wonderfully haunting piece of landscape that definitely warrants a visit the next time you are in Paris.
