It may surprise you to know that Rin Tin Tin, our beloved canine star of film and television, is buried in Paris. And that the original Rin Tin Tin came from France! More about that in another post. While Rinty was loved by millions, each of the over 40,000 animals in the Cimetière des Chiens (Dog Cemetery) was deeply loved and cherished by someone.
The Cimetière des Chiens was founded in the summer of 1899 to create a resting place for the beloved companions of the people of Paris. Located in Asnieres, northwest of Paris, on a quiet part of the Seine, the cemetery was created through the work of lawyer Georges Harmois and journalist Marguerite Durand.
At the grand entrance is a statue of Barry, the famous Saint Bernard. The most famous dog to come from the Saint Bernard Monastery, he is credited with saving 40 people in the deep snows and avalanches of a high mountain pass. Barry lived in the monastery from 1800 to 1812. Legend has it that he was killed by the 41st person he tried to save, and it is even engraved on a massive tombstone at the entrance to the Cimetière des Chiens in Paris. However, he was actually taken to Bern, Switzerland, where he retired and lived out his last two years. In 1815, his body was preserved and put on exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Bern, where he remains today.
While canine luminaries such as Rin Tin Tin and police dogs of honor have found their resting place here, the majority were the beloved companions of regular people.
The tombstones have weathered carvings, porcelain photos, toys and flowers. A few, like Tintin and Vania, have their own little dog houses.
Near the entrance to the cemetery is a plaque commemorating a stray dog who, in 1958, died at the gates of the cemetery and became the 40,000th animal to be buried within its walls. Dogs share this lovely spot with horses, cats, birds, and monkeys.
I was fortunate to visit this sacred place while doing research for our book, 1,001 Reasons to Love Dogs.
[this is good] This reminded me of Greyfriar's Bobby - an example of a dog who loved his master and the city who loved him back:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyfriars_Bobby
Posted by: Kat the Acrobat | 03/31/2007 at 07:57 PM