Update: On April 3, 2014, the Virginia Governor signed HB 588 into law.

The Virginia State Capitol – Thomas Jefferson’s “Temple to Democracy”

A bill (HB 588) was introduced in the Virginia General Assembly that would amend the State Cemetery Code to allow human cemeteries to designate a special section for the burial of human remains with their companion animals in adjacent graves. It was introduced by republican Delegate Israel O’Quinn with Delegate A. Benton Chafin, Jr. as Chief Co-Patron.

The issue was brought to Delegate O’Quinn’s attention by Kelly Farris, co-owner of Farris Funeral Services, who has been receiving increasing requests from folk who want to keep their family intact in death as they were in life. According to the The Washington Post, they have already reserved some land, “The Garden of Loyalty,” for this purpose.

The Green Pet-Burial Society reached out to Delegate O’Quinn and to the good folk at Farris Funeral Services to offer support and also to inform them of the great precedent that has already been set by pioneering conservation cemeteries that have provided this service for many years. Visit our Providers tab to see our Whole Family Cemeteries directory.

To read full text of the proposed legislation, click here.

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updated May 19, 2014