# dogs at a funeral - appropriate?



## Jay Quinn (Apr 1, 2012)

my work partner passed away on monday... he was at home and it seems to be of natural causes, possibly a stroke or something 

his funeral is tuesday coming, and myself and another guy who worked with him for quite a long time also would like to take our K9's along, as my partner was a big animal lover and really enjoyed working with the dogs... (we are private security and worked in a team of 3, two humans and a K9, on mobile patrols and incident response)

i am going to ask the funeral home if we can stand up the front, i'm guessing they will have some sort of raised platform, so one of us on either corner, facing everyone, sort of standing guard... 

do people think this would be appropriate? or have any other ideas on ways we could possibly work the dogs into things, apart from them simply being there?


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## Dave Colborn (Mar 25, 2009)

I'd ask the family if it would be okay and leave them an easy way to say no, in case they don't think it's appropriate. 

The sentiment is sure nice. I'd be glad to have a couple dogs hanging around if I was the deceased. 

Sorry for your loss.




Jay Quinn said:


> my work partner passed away on monday... he was at home and it seems to be of natural causes, possibly a stroke or something
> 
> his funeral is tuesday coming, and myself and another guy who worked with him for quite a long time also would like to take our K9's along, as my partner was a big animal lover and really enjoyed working with the dogs... (we are private security and worked in a team of 3, two humans and a K9, on mobile patrols and incident response)
> 
> ...


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## Alice Bezemer (Aug 4, 2010)

Jay Quinn said:


> my work partner passed away on monday... he was at home and it seems to be of natural causes, possibly a stroke or something
> 
> his funeral is tuesday coming, and myself and another guy who worked with him for quite a long time also would like to take our K9's along, as my partner was a big animal lover and really enjoyed working with the dogs... (we are private security and worked in a team of 3, two humans and a K9, on mobile patrols and incident response)
> 
> ...


I personally think it would be very appropriate. It shows respect and.honors the deceased by having the dog there. We had a funeral 2 months ago for a clubmember and had 20 dogs there. Granted not everyone attending liked it but you know what? Its not about everyone else... its about the person you want to honor in this manner and that is what counts. I think its a very respectful gesture. Sorry for your loss, Jay.


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## Gus Pineda (Jul 2, 2013)

I'd love to have dogs at my funeral.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

I think it would be fine but as stated before, ask the family.


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## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Gus Pineda said:


> I'd love to have dogs at my funeral.


I knew and party animal married playboy. At his funeral there was the wife and 5 weeping chicks among the audience paying their respects. 

The wife thought they were his coworkers!](*,)


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## mel boschwitz (Apr 23, 2010)

If the family allows maybe the dogs could be part of the procession to the gravesite?

I love the idea of a dog at each corner, standing guard.

I've already made arrangements for my dogs to be at my wake/funeral when the time comes. And food. Good food. And chocolate fondue. And country music. If there ain't a big party I'm coming back to haunt everyone.8)


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

agree with Dave 

we have no business saying what we think might be appropriate no matter how we feel about dogs at a funeral.

float you idea with the family (assuming there are some). it's their decision, not anyone else's, and it has to be respected to the letter. whatever they want the funeral home should respect and comply with too, imo.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I think it would be wonderful, agree with those who said check with the family first. I'm sorry for your loss.


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## Jay Quinn (Apr 1, 2012)

of course i will run it by family, but knowing that they knew how much the dogs meant to him and having had a request from them to be supplied with any photos people had of him in uniform to be used at his funeral i can't see them having a problem with it... i am more worried about the funeral home not allowing them in... 

i just wanted to get an idea if people in general thought it was a good idea or not before i put anything forward... i know we're all dog people here and therefore biased, but if i'd got a resounding 'no', or more negative answers than positive ones i would have dropped the idea... 

thanks all... he will be missed by many


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

I agree that it would be up to the family.
I was in a funeral procession for a fire fighter on the SAR team I belonged to. The rest of the team and their dogs rode on the fire equipment from the parlor to the cemetery. We went in the cemetery but not the parlor. 
I think it's a great idea and I know my wife would even be fine if my dogs were at mine. If I go befoer my old cadaver dog does I suspect he'd have to be kept outside. :-o8-[


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## Jay Quinn (Apr 1, 2012)

LOL Bob!

well, i ended up ringing the funeral home as i did not have a way to contact my partner's parents, other than by trying to ring his phone, which i really didn't want to do... i got them to pass a message and my number to his mother, and she called me back and said that it was lovely of us to think of something like that and they would love for the dogs to be there... : )

the other handler who will be attending had also thought of the idea and he mentioned it to me before i ahd a chance to bring it up with him, so i've organised things with him and we will be providing a guard of honour of sorts, in uniform with the dogs!

makes me a lot happier about going along, not that non-attendance was ever an option, but i'm always crap at this kind of thing.... : (


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

don't know how the funeral parlors are run where you live but over here NO dogs are ever allowed inside any business establishment unless they are certified guide dogs. 
- but the funeral places (temples, churches, crematoriums, etc) work for the customer, not vice versa
- so we already went thru the hoops and let them know my wife would have my dog with her if he's still around when i'm gone. guess they wanted my money ... and said OK
- hopefully it will be a different dog and MUCH later, but it's a done deal


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## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

glad it worked out well for alcon


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Good to hear!


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## Jay Quinn (Apr 1, 2012)

well, as far as funerals go, i guess it was a good one... my K9 behaved himself very well and sooked up to everyone there for pats, the other handler's dog was fantastic for most of the time as well, but decided he didn't want to be around my boy... so i stood up front near the coffin and the other handler stayed at back near the door, it worked out well as he had to take him out to settle him during one speech, but my boy just last at my feet the whole way through, and i actually got a thankyou email from my partner's boss (we worked for different companies, hard to explain) afterwards... 

thanks again for everyone's thoughts and input : )


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