Spanish mortuaries allow pets to attend funerals to ease grief

The local government of Puerto Real in Cádiz, Spain, launched the Protocolo Haru to allow pets to enter mortuaries and cemeteries to say goodbye to deceased owners.

This initiative follows a proposal by Virginia Mera, the local councillor for Animal Welfare, who wanted to ensure her rescue cat could be present during her own funeral. The town council partnered with the funeral service company Cemabasa to establish safety and respect guidelines for these visits.

The protocol specifies that animals must be accompanied by a responsible person and supervised by staff. These farewell ceremonies take place in private spaces with a time limit to maintain solemnity for the human mourners. Officials state that these measures help mitigate the anxiety and feelings of abandonment that pets may experience after a owner dies. The service began in May and has also been implemented at the Cementerio Mancomunado de Chiclana.

Other regions in Spain offer different levels of pet inclusion. In Bilbao, some mortuaries are dog friendly, allowing animals to support families during the wake. Companies like Grupo Albia allow pets to accompany families provided they meet hygiene and safety requirements, though they do not allow access to the coffin. PFB Serveis Funeraris in Cataluña offers intimate spaces and special time slots for pets to say goodbye.

These developments reflect a growing trend in Spain where pets are increasingly treated as family members.