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Eternity With Your Dog Or Cat? Human-Pet Cemeteries Open In Germany

A cemetery in Mare Island (California)
A cemetery in Mare Island (California)

BRAUBACH — Pets bring happiness to the lives of their owners. Now, a German Cemetery Association (Deutsche Friedhofsgesellschaft) allows the bond to continue for eternity, offering clients the opportunity to be buried alongside their dogs and cats.

Two German cemeteries, in the towns of Braubach and Essen, inaugurated the policy this week that allows humans and pets to be buried together in the same grave, reports the Berliner Morgenpost daily.

Called "Unser Hafen," this new form of burial offers two options: You can either opt for the "friendship" plot where two humans can be buried next to each other alongside a maximum of five pets. The other option is known as a "family grave" in which 12 human or animal urns can rest in the same place. The annual cost ranges from 69 or 92 euros per grave.

Judith Könsgen, who heads the cemetery association, says there were several legal obstacles to overcome before obtaining the authorization. Unser Hafen's website, for example, indicates that the deceased people and animals must always be cremated separately.

Otherwise, it seems safe to say, the afterlife has never been so cute.

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