When a stray cat showed up at David and Jan Arno’s home in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, in 1996, she became an instant member of the family. Minnou, or Mini, was the first of three stray felines to make their way to the Arno house. Winifred, or Winnie, came in 2001, and Tippy joined in 2002.
“Each of them were very loving, but [Minnou] was very feisty and sweet,” Jan Arno said.
Jan Arno also said Winnie was a shy, quieter soul than Minnou. The Arnos had to take special care of Tippy, who was diabetic and had lots of health problems. Jan Arno said Tippy had a rough life as a stray, but he was loving and reserved for the time they had him.
“We had to give him insulin shots twice a day,” David Arno said.
Minnou, Winifred and Tippy lived long and happy lives with their parents in Fort Thomas.
In 2013, Minnou’s heart grew weaker, David Arno told CityBeat. She passed away peacefully in the Arnos’ home later that year.
The Arnos made the choice to bring Minnou to Highland Cemetery. The historic cemetery, which has existed since 1868, opened its own pet cemetery on the grounds in 1995.
“We found out that [Highland] had a pet cemetery, and that’s when we decided to start burying our children there,” David Arno said.
Jan Arno added that the couple plans to be buried at Highland Cemetery, making it the perfect place to lay their fur children to rest.
“We wanted them to be close by,” she said.
Within the next year, both Winifred and Tippy also died. Winifred died later in 2013, and Tippy died in 2014. Winnie passed away at home. Tippy’s health declined, and the Arnos decided to have him put down.
“It’s just against everything that’s within you to take life,” Jan Arno said about Tippy’s euthanization. “But for an animal, they can’t really tell you a lot about their condition; it’s just sometimes the most humane thing to do.”
Tippy and Winifred joined Minnou at the Highland Pet Cemetery; the three adoptive siblings now reunited.
The Arnos visit the cemetery frequently, ensuring their three felines’ graves are well-kept and adorned with fresh flowers. Today, Minnou, Winnie and Tippy all have new fall bouquets by their headstones.
Highland Pet Cemetery
Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell began development back in 1868. When surrounding cemeteries in Covington ran low on space, Highland filled the need for a new resting place. Since its founding, the cemetery has come to hold Civil War veterans, politicians, newspaper editors and even unidentified murder victims.
Highland Cemetery’s grounds are now 250 acres, with nearly 50,000 burials on-site. The cemetery also has over 150 acres not yet surveyed for burials, meaning there is plenty of room for new graves.
“Families can be assured that many generations of their families can be together at Highland Cemetery,” Highland’s website reads.
General Manager Tom Honebrink said that, in 1995, Highland decided to dedicate five acres of land to pet burials.
“The board of directors at that time were basically pet lovers, and there seemed to be a need. People were wanting to bury their pets on their family lot,” Honebrink told CityBeat.
The Arnos fit that description — they wanted Minnou, Winifred and Tippy to be in the same cemetery that they will one day be in.
“It’s a beautiful place, well-kept. The people who run the place are just wonderful to work with,” David Arno said.
“We like the thought of each of our pets being surrounded by nature, because it is such a picturesque cemetery,” Jan Arno added.
Honebrink said there are now around 1,800 pets in the cemetery, including dogs, cats, rabbits and even some ferrets.
The need for pet cemeteries has increased recently. According to a report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, 33% of Ohio households are renters. Rent rates in Ohio have increased dramatically in recent years. According to the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, rent has increased by 21.4% over the past two years for two-bedroom units.
These factors mean people are moving more often to adjust to the changing market. For people who want to bury their pet on their property, that means digging up their pet every time they want to move or leaving them behind. However, pet cemeteries offer an eternal resting place for people’s furry friends.
“Cemeteries are [regulated] with perpetual care,” Honebrink said. “[The pets] will be here forever.”
Honebrink has been in the cemetery business since high school. He’s stayed in the field because he finds it to be a “great public service” for people in need. He sees a lot of love in clients who use the cemetery, whether it’s for their human or animal family members.
“It’s unbelievable the passion that we see in the pet owners to care for their loved ones. I think it says a lot about those that inter their pets here, that they really want a place where they will never be disturbed,” Honebrink told CityBeat. “It’s very telling on how much they love their pets.”
Burying your pet at Highland can cost between $135 and $450, according to their website. Small graves are 2 feet wide and 3 feet long, priced at $350. Large graves are 2 feet wide and 4 feet long, priced at $450. Highland does not have a crematorium, but the cemetery does bury cremains. Burying a container with your pet’s cremains costs $135.
Additionally, Highland will pick up pets from nearby veterinarian offices for an extra charge.
Pines Pet Cemetery
North of Cincinnati, in Lebanon, another pet cemetery sits on 35 acres of lush land, with large trees providing shade and peaceful scenery. Pines Pet Cemetery is the resting place for over 30,000 pets, as well as around 300 humans, according to its website. Pines is one of the largest pet cemeteries in the Midwest.
Back in 1966, a strawberry farmer named Henry Biederman opened Pines Pet Cemetery on the grounds of his farm. According to the Pines website, he used to bury his pets, as well as his friends’ pets, on the property. Then, in 1978, Jean and Tom Lawton bought the business. They had the land deeded as a cemetery so that it could never be used for anything other than the burials.
In 1997, current owner Shannon Wood purchased the cemetery from the Lawtons, who are her aunt and uncle. Now, she’s been the owner for almost 30 years.
The cemetery holds all types of pets, from dogs to horses. Statues and memorials dot the property, from sculptures of boxer dogs at the entrance to statues of horses within the cemetery.
Pines offers many ways to memorialize your pet, from pet cremation to traditional burials. Their mission is to “provide caring and quality service for grieving pet owners and the pets that have been entrusted in [their] care.”
Headstones around the cemetery reflect the love owners had, and still have, for their pets.
“Mommies [sic] little girl. Daddy’s chest-warmer. Our sweet kitty. We miss you,” one grave reads.
“I called him ‘Papa’s best boy’ because it made him so wonderfully proud and happy. By turns angelic, impish, playful and quiet, Scout brought great joy and light to our lives for nearly a dozen years. Rest safely little man. We love you,” another headstone endearingly says.
“You enriched our lives greatly. A true companion and best friend. We will never forget you,” another grave reads.
The messages represent the eternal love the owners dedicated to their pets, no matter how long ago they passed or how few years they lived.
Pines Pet Cemetery has both a crematorium and a cemetery on-site. Cremation is priced by pet weight. The cemetery offers many options for pet cremains, whether you want to take the ashes home in a beautiful urn or you want to leave your pet’s cremains at Pines’ columbarium.
Prices for pet burial vary based on the size of the pet, the chosen headstone and the chosen casket, box or urn.
Casey the cockapoo
When Trish Jacobs lived in the Beavercreek area as a kid, she had a beloved dog named Casey.
Her family picked up Casey from a pet store after the kids begged their parents for a dog. Jacobs told CityBeat that Casey was “a really sweet dog with a great disposition.”
“He was just kind of happy-go-lucky, just a really fun dog to have around. Always with you, always underfoot, wanted to be where you were,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs said Casey was especially important to her mom, who took care of the pup after her children went to college. “They were just really tight, those two,” Jacobs said about her mother and Casey.
When Casey was around 13 years old, he died from cancer. The Jacobs decided to bury Casey at Pines Pet Cemetery, where he remains today. Trish Jacobs moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1997, and she explained that she is happy Casey is able to stay in one resting place.
“It is nice to know that he’s there, and he has a little headstone,” Jacobs said.
Crookshanks the cat
Crookshanks, named after Hermione’s beloved cat from the Harry Potter series, was the “friendliest cat ever,” owner John Mercier told CityBeat.
Mercier’s family got Crookshanks around 2008 or 2009 when their landlord, who commonly took in strays, asked if they could care for the orange cat.
“Crookshanks’ mom keeps separating him from the rest of the litter,” Mercier told CityBeat. “So we took him in, and he turned into a model gentleman.”
Crookshanks became Mercier’s shadow. Mercier said the feline would follow him downstairs for coffee when he woke up, and then curl up and watch Instagram Reels with him.
“He was my oldest best friend. He’d fist bump you with his head,” Mercier said. “He loved licking people’s heads.”
A few months ago, Crookshanks ate a plant that made him sick. Then, Crookshanks’ humans noticed that his kidneys were not doing well. At 16 years old, he died from kidney failure.
As Mercier looked for a place to have Crookshanks cremated, he came across Pines Pet Cemetery. The cemetery and cremation center looked nice to Mercier, and it accepted pets on weekends, while many other places did not.
“When we pulled up, I felt good about our decision,” Mercier said. “[The Pines staff] were caring and sympathetic.”
While aspects of the process were stressful at times, Mercier said his overall experience with Pines was great. While he was there, he was even comforted by one of the cats on the grounds named Gandalf. Ultimately, the Merciers left Pines with three beautiful urns with ashes for each of the children, a certificate and samples of Crookshanks’ fur.
“It was really hard, and we still miss him but all the loving memories make it easy and we smile thinking about him,” Mercier said. “He’ll have an opportunity to exist in some new way, and the universe or whatever will put another cat in our lives when the time is right.”
Pugs and kisses from the afterlife
Allison Taylor and her husband have been rescuing pugs for about 25 years, and in that time, they’ve used Pines for cremations many times.
Taylor said the couple’s rescue receives many dogs that are older, sick or have special needs. The Taylors have ended up adopting many of the pups that were less likely to find a forever home. At one point, the couple had seven pugs.
“Pugs are funny and sweet, but they shed like crazy and they can have many (and expensive) health issues,” Taylor said. “It was expensive and sometimes heartbreaking, but so rewarding.”
One of the pugs they adopted was blind and deaf, and their vet estimated that he was at least 17 years old. Another, named Dixie, was the smartest dog Taylor had ever seen. Her sister, Lilly, was the opposite. The Taylors have many fond memories of all their fur children.
Over the years, the Taylors had Spike, Dixie, Lilly, Angus, Joey, Bubba, Gilligan, Rooney, Poot, Jessica, Sophie, Oggie and Sylvie. Now, they have 13 urns on their mantle to remember their many pugs.
“[Pines] has always been incredibly kind, and they make you feel like you’re their most important customer,” Taylor said. “There may be closer crematoriums around, but I will always go there. I can’t say enough good things about them.”
The Taylors are still rescuing pugs, with two currently a part of their family.
Fur-ever family
Both Highland Pet Cemetery and Pines Pet Cemetery offer owners a way to stay connected with their pet forever — whether that’s a permanent grave at one of the burial grounds or an urn to keep the pet’s ashes safe and close by.
“If anybody decides to have their pet buried here, they can be assured that it’ll be here forever,” Honebrink told CityBeat about Highland.
Today, David and Jan Arno’s home in Fort Thomas remains a safe haven for felines who need homes. They now have three cats: a tuxedo cat named Elmer, and two black cats named Lionel and Cinder.
But they’ve never forgotten Minnou, Winnie and Tippy.
“We take our own weed eater and a little paintbrush and water so that we can clean out the little headstones,” Jan Arno said.
David Arno said, “[The graves] are side-by-side, and I take pictures of them every time we change the flowers.”
For more information about Highland Pet Cemetery, visit highlandcemeterysite.wordpress.com. For more information about Pines Pet Cemetery, visit pinespetcemeteryandcremationcenter.com.
This story is featured in CityBeat’s Oct. 16 print edition.
This article appears in Oct 2, 2024 – Oct 15, 2043.