Beautifully tucked away in the rolling hills of Calabasas is Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park. It is one of the oldest facilities on the West Coast, founded in 1928. Private owners generously donated the cemetery to the LA SPCA in 1973, whom considered selling the property to developers. A dedicated few and enthusiastic pet lovers got wind of it and created S.O.P.H.I.E., Inc., short for “Save Our Pets History In Eternity”. The non-profit corporation is now dedicated to the preservation of this glorious sanctuary in perpetuity.
Myself and Nugget arrived and were instantly overcome by the calm and lush surroundings. The cemetery grounds were beautifully kept. Colorful wind-chimes and rainbow colored wheels were spinning in the warm wind. It was like an orchestrated serenade to all the beloved pets resting there, a symphony being played over and over for the angels. We found a grassy spot in the shade and sat there, simply listening, being in the moment.
The park is the final resting ground of two famous pets; Tawny, the MGM lion and Pete, the dog from “Little Rascals”. I felt honored to visit their sites and it was so soothing to walk around and look at all the different ways people have chosen to remember their furry babies. One of the ground keepers gave us a ride in his golf cart and we also spent some time in the administrative office, sharing wonderful stories with the manager. We can’t wait to visit again.
And before we headed back to home, we celebrated Nugget‘s 1st birthday on Venice Beach with a personalized dog bone cake and his Super Dog cape. It brought me such joy watching my little boy devouring his goodie from the Dog Bakery. A well-deserved treat for fighting meningitis and being such a great role model for the bully breeds. Go Nuggy, go!
