We like to highlight departments in our shelter, as there are so many people that are working “behind the scenes” to make Wayside Waifs what it is today. Previously, we showcased our Feline Care Department, and this month, we would like to showcase our Pet Memorial Services and Facilities crew. They do such a wonderful job in maintaining our grounds, cemetery, and helping people in the process of grieving.
Our Pet Memorial Services area currently has one member-Tiffanie. She has recently become the only employee back there, and is doing a wonderful job! Thankfully, our Facilities department also helps her out. Those guys are Livio, Harold, and James. Together, they all make our shelter look amazing, and represent compassion at its finest.
The building pictured above is Pet Memorial Services, and it is located in the back of our campus. Inside, there is a viewing room, and several private rooms for owner appointments. Here at Wayside, we strive to make you as comfortable as you can during your time of troubles. We also have our urns and boxes out, so people can choose only the best for their pets.
There are, of course, certain sections of the Pet Memorial Services building that we do not want to show pictures of, only because of how private it can be. There are rooms where owner euthanasias happen, and in the back is where they get the cremations ready, of the owners choose that route. However, this facility is clean, and very organized. Tiffanie goes out of her way to maintain records and schedule appointments on her own, until she gets the help of another staff member. Tiffanie is pictured below.
Our Facilities department does a number of things for the shelter in general, but for Pet Memorial Services specifically, they keep the plots organized, get them ready for burials and ceremonies, and keep the grounds mowed and treated. They are also very helpful whenever Tiffanie needs any extra help with any number of things, so they are all well-rounded guys!
While our grounds are very big, this is one of many beautiful sections of our cemetery. There are some interesting facts about our cemetery as well!
- We have one monkey buried here named April, back in 1972.
- We also have two Bearded Dragons, and a couple of “Fire Dogs” that are memorialized by fire hydrants.
- As early as 1946, over 12,000 animals have been placed here, whether they are owned animals, or communal.
- Fenby Webster was the lead contributor who helped to found Wayside Waifs. She helped found the cemetery in 1946.
- We named different parts of our cemetery. Top of the World is our oldest part of the cemetery, having dates as far back as 1946. Cedar Shadows is where most of our cremations are. Peaceful Meadows(see arch above) is where our body burials are. We also have a section called Companion Fields, which is for our communal burials and cremations.
- We have a wonderful gazebo in the center of Peaceful Meadows, that is a great for a nice resting place for dog walkers, or if you are just gazing upon our beautiful grounds!
My own personal favorite is the gazebo, as it is a nice place to come and sit, and look at our beautiful campus. We have a business behind us, and Tiffanie says they often will walk around our cemetery during their lunch breaks, just to go on a nice walk. If you are curious about how you can help our Pet Memorial Services crew, consider making a donation in their name. The more money they have, the more upkeep and renovations they can do, and Tiffanie really wants to clean up or cemetery, and make it even better! I will end with some pictures of our cemetery, and current graves that are being kept in wonderful condition, and with regular visitors!
Please stop by our cemetery and take a look around!
Written by Teryn J.