Resting Place for Beloved Pets

Wednesday April 9, 2008-Star Metro
By CHARLES FERNANDEZ

In memory: The serene ambience of the Pet Memorial Garden.

THE death of a pet can leave a deep void and create a great amount of sorrow for some. What you’re left with are memories of precious moments spent with them.

Coming to terms with the loss is not an easy process, but it can be managed if you choose to channel your grief through a unique avenue – creating a special shrine in honour of your treasured buddy. This could be done at the first ever Pet Memorial Garden located within the Nirvana Memorial Park (NMP).

Businesswoman S.H. Chia’s dog, a Shih Tzu, died last November and she was one of the first to book a plot for her pet she fondly calls JI, short for John Iris.

There are 200 plots and so far 20 have been booked since the Pet Memorial Garden was launched last year.

Chia was at the NMP with her two-year-old John Gillian or JG, also a Shih Tzu, to pay homage to elder brother JI.

“Both are from the same family. I miss my JI so much. I took the opportunity during the Qing Ming festival to pay my respects as even pets deserve them,” said Chia.

She spent RM4,800 for the funeral service when JI died.

“It was a huge loss like losing a member of the family. It didn’t want to bury him just about anywhere as I wanted him to be comfortable. This memorial centre has given me an opportunity to preserve the memory of my JI in a more dignified way,” she said.

The Pet Memorial Garden is a monument within the NMP, built to showcase the bond between people and their pets.

Just like a funeral service for a person, the pet gets the same exclusive service where the owner can witness the last rites of their beloved pet.

The package provides door-to-door service but is restricted within a 35km radius from the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

Owners could also erect tombstones with special inscriptions and have the burial plot landscaped to their liking.

When a pet dies, a private gathering featuring a memorial service would be conducted with loved ones and close friends to bid the final farewell.