Whether they provide comfort, companionship, entertainment or unconditional love, pets are members of our families. The board members of Mount Bethel Cemetery agree, and now they have created a place to lay pets to rest.

The Mount Bethel Pet Cemetery opened this summer, and lots are available to anyone in the community. The pet cemetery is located in the front of Mount Bethel Cemetery, 700 Locust St., Columbia.

As board member John Hinkle explained, the 96 lots in the pet cemetery offer a way to honor our furry friends. "We share so many memories with our pets, and for many of us, our pets are like family," he said. "Honoring our pets through memorialization when a loss has occurred helps us to mourn that loss while providing an eternal resting place to visit and reflect."

Hinkle shared that Mount Bethel, Columbia's oldest cemetery, is a historic 10-acre site that serves as the final resting place for many of Columbia's prominent residents, including some of the town founders and various military personnel. "In addition to the many thousands of conventional burials in Mount Bethel, the Helen Schlossman Cremation Garden was added a few years ago to offer sites for those families requesting burial after cremation," Hinkle said, adding that this eventually led to the idea of expanding to pets. "The board determined there was a need for families who desired to have their beloved pets laid to rest in a setting which provided perpetual care."

Although lots are currently available, Hinkle suggests reserving a spot sooner rather than later. "Just as we preplan for ourselves, preplanning for the inevitable for your pets is recommended as well," he said, noting that people can purchase a lot at the time of a pet's death if space is available.

Proceeds from the pet cemetery lot sales will be used for the perpetual care and maintenance of Mount Bethel Cemetery.

Each lot contains a numbered marker. Once a lot is purchased, the marker will be modified to include the owner's name, and once the pet is interred, the marker will include the pet's name, date of birth and date of passing. People may purchase their own markers as long as the marker does not exceed 10 inches wide by 10 inches long. "Some personal markers may entail the need for a foundation to be laid to prevent ground settlement," Hinkle remarked. "If Mount Bethel is requested or required to do this work, the cost will be at the expense of the lot owner."

The Mount Bethel Pet Cemetery is located on the Locust Street side of the caretaker's cottage at the cemetery, nestled between the building and a wrought iron fence. To learn more or to reserve a space, email mountbethelcemetery@gmail.com with "Pet Cemetery" in the subject line. For more information, visit https://mtbethelcemetery.org.