Cottonwood Canyons Pet Memorial Garden
A well-loved cat or dog isn't just a pet, it's a family member. When that pet passes away, owners want to ensure their animal is placed in a beautiful and secure location where family members can stop by at anytime. Cottonwood Canyons Pet Memorial Garden (3115 East 7800 South) is the only cemetery in the Salt Lake Valley to offer pet burials, cremations and memorial services. Pet funeral director Christine Engh guarantees every pet will be treated with love.
"I've been told there is a sense of peace and comfort when people first walk into the garden," Christine says. "It offers dignity and respect for the pets who offer us so much comfort in our lives."
Cottonwood Canyons provides pet-specific caskets in a variety of options. And four different plot sizes help pet owners find the perfect place for their beloved animal. Pets of all kind are welcome at the memorial garden. Currently cats, dogs, bunnies, fish and even a wolf are buried there.
During a memorial service, families can hold a graveside viewing, read poetry, play music and fondly remember the life of their pet. A bronze marker is place on the curbing of the garden inscribed with the pet's name. Or a marker can be placed at the gravesite with the purchase of a large plot.
"I am there all through the service," Christine says. "The pet is treated with the upmost respect and dignity like a human would be treated."
If a pet passes away at home or a veterinary clinic, garden employees will pick up the pet and place them in a special holding facility for up to 24 hours until the pet can be buried. Pets are always placed in caskets—never plastic bags—and family members have many options to choose from when burying a pet.
Cremation is available with beautiful urns to store a pet's remains, or the pet can be cremated and buried in the flower beds at the garden. Pawprint imprints, fur clippings and a remembrance picture frame are also available.
A special area in the garden is designated for service animals including K-9 police dogs, therapy pets and military animals. Police dogs also receive special memorial services after a lifetime of service to the community. A special service will be held at Cottonwood Canyons on Sept. 11 to honor the bomb-sniffing dog Arriss.
Pet Memorial Day is scheduled at the garden on Sept. 11 where families can come with balloons, flowers, toys or reminders of their pets and spend the day with other pet owners. Special discounts are offered to those who purchase plots on that day.
For more information, call 801-301-1596 or visit www.UtahPetCemetery.com. Cottonwood Canyons is owned and operated by Memorial Estates and is part of the Mountain View Memorial Cemetery.
"People can call me to schedule an appointment to tour the gardens with no obligation," Christine says. "There's also a special section in the human area reserved for owners if they have a pet buried in the garden so they can be near their pet. It's just an absolutely beautiful garden."
