Funeral for Man's Best Friend

[Janice]

Funerals going to the dogs

Service to honor faithful friend

A funeral home has run an obituary for a dearly departed dog and is holding a wake next week for the 9-year-old German shepherd in what appears to be a Massachusetts first.

“He had a lot of friends,” said Kris Giles through sobs as she talked about the loss of her family pet, Kross Monsta Giles, who died of cancer Feb. 3.

For Giles, a pet memorial in the newspaper and somber ceremony in the backyard was not enough to celebrate Kross’ life.

An obituary and photo, where Kross is featured next to a tennis ball, is on the Gately Funeral Home Web site alongside remembrances and photos of humans.

Although an apparent first for Massachusetts, funeral homes across the country are increasingly servicing grieving “pet families” and holding funerals and wakes for animals.

More than 30 people have signed an online guestbook in honor of Kross, who was a fixture at Giles’ Melrose doggie day care business, A Better Companion, The Canine Recreation Center. Kross “greeted” dogs as they padded in the front door.

John Gately, a dog lover himself and owner of Gately Funeral Home, donated the space for the service, to be held Feb. 22. Giles will bring an urn with Kross’ ashes, and those who knew Kross can offer condolences.

Dogs, however, are not allowed.

“From my heart,” said Gately, “it was just me helping a family greiving over the loss of a companion and a great friend to them. How could I turn them away?” Gately said no one has complained about the obituary and service.

It’s a first for his funeral home, and possibly for the state.

David Walkinshaw, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Assocation, said he had not heard of a pet being memorialized inside a Bay State funeral home.

Giles, who was turned away by one funeral home owner worried about “public backlash,” said the wake will bring closure to her, her husband and 7-year-old daughter.

“It just felt so good having something for him,” she said. “It’s making me feel better. It’s making the loss a little bit easier.”

Giles said Kross was a part of her family. She held birthday parties for him, took him on errands and brought him to work with her.

“He made sure the dogs that came in were socialized and friendly and they played,” she said. “He was patient with puppies and he was patient with older dogs. He’d be waiting at the door saying, ‘Good morning.’ ”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1151875

Kris (holding a photo) and Scott Giles will be holding a wake for their dog, Kross Monsta Giles. The wake will be the first of it’s kind in Massachusetts.

[Janice]

Obituary for a canine

The following obituary ran on the Gately Funeral Home Web site

Kross Monsta Giles, 9, of Saugus, MA passed on February 3, 2009, with his loving family by his side.

Kross was born on January 1, 2000, this litter, of 10 pups, was lovingly referred to as the Y2K9 dogs. His handsome father was Vamp (owned by Boston Bruins [team stats] goalie Byron Dafoe) and his beautiful mother was China (owned by Mike Citro from Baystate K9, Middleton).

Kross became part of the Giles family in March of 2000.

Kross (is) survived by his loving parents, Kris & Scott Giles, his human sister, Taylor, 7, and his canine sisters Bella Boo, 3, and his late-canine sister Shoei. He (is) also survived by his grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Sam Camponescki of Wakefield and Mr. & Mrs. William Giles of Melrose.

Kross was close with four of his littermates, “Esperanza” Clayton of Middleton, “Sampson” Ragon of Melrose, “Ivana” Spinalli of Lynn, and the late “Bosco” Boucher of Salem, MA.

Kross was best known as the face of A Better Companion, The Canine Recreation Center in Melrose.

He was the interviewing dog and “greeter” at the center, making sure that all dogs who entered the facility are friendly and social. Kris (Giles) and Kross went to work together everyday, creating a place where dogs can be dogs and enjoy each other’s company. He was an extraordinary dog from the beginning, loving everyone he met. His loyalty and love was limitless.

Kross will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

[Janice]

Across nation, pets taking bigger bite of death biz

The practice of holding services for pets - as a Melrose funeral home is doing in an apparent Massachusetts first - is becoming more popular nationwide, funeral directors say.

“It’s a growing trend and it’s a logical growth from what it is what we as funeral directors do,” said Bob Biggins, owner of Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home in Rockland and a past president of the National Funeral Directors Association.

“We deal with people when they are facing loss. Anyone that owns a pet knows when a pet dies, it’s traumatic. They become part of our families,” he said.

Biggins plans to open a pet funeral home service later this year.

Anderson-McQueen Funeral and Cremation Centers in Florida began offering pet cremation and burial services in 2006, and is considered one of the leaders in the industry.

Co-owner Bill McQueen said they have changed the way people dispose of pets for the better.

“What people are willing to spend on their pets is growing astronomically,” he said. “Pets are more and more considered like another member of the family. Why not give people the opportunity to have their pet treated with the same dignity and care and trust at the time of death?”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1151876

[Chocoholic]

I suppose if you have the money...

I loved both my dogs, but I can't picture doing something like that for a pet. To each his own.

[browneyes106]

I suppose if you have the money...

I loved both my dogs, but I can't picture doing something like that for a pet. To each his own.

I agree I couldn't see myself doing it either. I couldn't imagine keeping a pet's ashes in my home either.

[OH Nuts!]

If you have the $ why not. People get very attached to their pets - esp. pets with sweet personalities. Kross sounds like such a pet.

I'd go for something more understated personally. I think the idea of an intimate memorial service is very nice, either in the owner's home or a pet-related business. And I'd want animals there too - at least those that were close to the deceased. (Playmates, etc.)

[Janice]

I understand the sentiment, as I've felt the loss of pet and it stings bad. Still, this isn't for me, but to each his own, I guess.

[Pus$y Galore]

I probably wouldn't go all out for a full funeral, but when I was in the country we'd have "private family funerals". I buried our fish, Fred (he was big enough I needed a shoebox for him) in the backyard. I brought out my persian cat and the two dogs with Frank and we had a proper burial for him.

I buried my beloved Smokey in Frank's parents backyard next to his beloved golden retriever, Blitz. If I had the money, I would like my dogs cremated and buried with me, but that probably won't happen. I'll be crushed when the time comes no matter what.

My girlfriend put a very loving tribute in the local paper when she lost her Rotti, Khan. I have a copy of it that I'd post, but I just glued it into my scrapbook last week. She put the last picture ever taken of him and then a write up of what he meant to the family. It was really lovely. Actually a lot more people are doing that at least for their family members. Maybe not a full out funeral, but I think they do deserve a word when they pass on.