2012 has been an eventful year for our Green Pet-Burial Society. This work is continually buoyed by the simple question:

Why is this important?

It’s not only about burials – it’s so much more than that! It’s about our worldviews of Nature, animals and our own humanity, and it’s about embracing all that is simple and beautiful in life. We’ve learned of four new green cemeteries that allow a pet’s remains to be buried in the family plot – two in the U.S. and two in the U.K. –  and we’ve seen established pet cemeteries plan for new green burial sections. Here are some other highlights:

Social Media

We finally got current and began blogging and posting interesting information, stories and images on our Facebook page. Visitors to our Facebook page, as to our website, will find an increasing amount of fascinating information about animals, bereavement and funerary practices throughout the world.

Family Spirals™

We will officially be a program of the new nonprofit, Family Spirals™, which is in the final stages of development. It will operate as an international think tank about family identity, cohesion and trauma, and as a provider of capacity building support to professionals and volunteers who work with families. Our Society will find its home within the division dedicated to “Families & Animals.”

We moved!

In October 2012, we moved our office from Northern California to Los Angeles. This should facilitate networking with thought leaders in conservation and bereavement, pet care, grief services, as well as human and pet cemeteries. As the second largest city in the U.S. and a center for media, we are expecting to enhance our ability to reach the public. Then there is the history of Hollywood – at right is a photo of Rudolph Valentino and his dog Kabar (who passed three years after Valentino and was one of the first to be buried at the LA Pet Memorial Park).

In the News

Several news outlets have written about green pet-burials and favorably mentioned our Society in their coverage, including CNN online, Mother Nature Network (MNN), and The Miami Herald.

Improving our Website

We adopted a more robust layout this past year, and are looking forward to our next update. We continually add important content throughout the year. In order to bring greater clarity to our projects, we completely revised our general brochure, and created a new informational postcard (to be posted soon) – both are available for distribution.

Whole-Family Cemetery Workgroup

We’ve convened a workgroup of six highly respected green cemeteries, all of which allow for full body pet-burial in the family cemetery plot. Together, we are addressing challenges and identifying effective practices.

As children we learn to be with other animals, and as adults we seek to remove those artificial barriers to such connections upon death. More about this group and our findings in the new year.

Transportation

What a relief to those who travel with their companion animals – who may have to face the horrible ordeal of figuring out how to arrange for their beloved pets’ burial back home. We’ve identified a nationwide transportation network, and provided instructions for preparing the body for transportation, in order to help the bereaved make immediate plans to transport their pet’s remains home.

Outreach

We had our first major public outreach event by tabling at the Green Festival LA in November. This was our first opportunity to introduce ourselves to LA, and we connected with journalists, artists, and hopefully a few volunteers. We shared a table with the wonderful National Museum of Animals & Society.

Of course we cannot do this work without your support. To cover the costs of materials, printing, and professional services, your gift is greatly valued! Please make your donation today to help us bring simplicity back to our lives with animals.

Wishing you and yours an inspired new year.

Eric Greene
Founder & President

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