Public pet memorial sought in Sonoma

A Sonoma Valley dog owners group wants to create a public memorial to help people deal with the grief of losing a pet.

The memorial could be a wall in which pets' names are etched, a walkway with names on bricks, or a bench where people can sit, said Bob Edwards of Sonoma Valley Dog Owners and Guardians.

"We think there is a big need for this," said Edwards, who called the day his dog died five years ago the worst of his life.

"I see such grief over pets," he said. "People have nobody to talk to, there is no place to express their grief."

Edwards said he doesn't know what a memorial would look like, but it would not be a pet cemetery, nor a single statue nor an Internet pet memorial site.

"A lot of those things look like mausoleums," Edwards said. "We don't want it to be grim, we want it to be a joyous celebration of pets in people's lives. It would not be a gloom-and-doom thing, that is one thing that would kill it."

Edwards' group is working with the city of Sonoma, which so far is receptive to finding a public place, as long as no city funds are involved.

"It is an interesting project, it is a concept," said Carol Giovanatta, Sonoma's assistant city manager. "As important as people's pets are, this is something the public may well get behind."

Giovanatta, the owner of a chocolate Labrador retriever, said the city is looking at possible sites, such as along the city's bicycle path.

Bill Hines of Sonoma, who was minding his daughter's dog Monday at Sonoma's dog park, said a memorial was something he could support.

"When I had my last dog, I had to put it down," Hines said. "It was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

Marilyn Drolla of Sonoma, who was at the dog park with her 3-year-old bichon-poodle mix, also liked the idea.

"We need not to grieve, but to remember all the good times, the goofy times," Drolla said.

Edwards, who has two golden retrievers, said his group wants the memorial to be built and managed by a nonprofit group, with contributions offsetting construction and maintenance costs.

"Our role is strictly as a sponsor and to get it rolling," Edwards said. "It would not be our pet memorial. We are not looking to take over the management or run it or get any money out of it."

Rhonda Stalling, a veterinarian at the Arroyo Veterinary Hospital in Sonoma, said there are few avenues to grieve over the loss of a pet, unlike the death of a friend or relative.

"It is not to take away from human loss, it is just to show how much pets enrich their lives," Stalling said. "For many people, they cry harder when they lose a dog or a cat. They are constant companions, they give us unconditional love . . . no matter what, they still look at you and wag their tail."

Edwards said his group would ask community artists to come up with ideas of what a memorial should look like, and promised a public process to eliminate ugly or financially impractical designs.

"What is the actual physical cost to build? Are you going to chisel a name in the wall, or use a laser? We need to keep the installation charge minimal," Edwards said. "No one wants to pay $500 to memorialize their pet . . . maybe $5 or $10, or maybe even $100."

You can reach Staff Writer Bob Norberg at 521-5206 or bob.norberg@pressdemocrat.

com.