San Francisco’s residents love their pets – in life and in death. In fact, in the Bay Area, there seems to be a pet cemetery everywhere you look… Or don’t look.
Why is that? And what kind of dark secrets do these pet cemeteries hold? This article will explore the haunted histories of Bay Area’s creepiest resting places.
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Why is There More Than One Pet Cemetery in the Bay Area?
The most infamous pet cemetery in the Bay Area is the Presidio Pet Cemetery. It houses the bodies of dogs, cats and other animals that once belonged to the military personnel stationed in the Presidio Army base.
Another pet cemetery in the area, The Warm Springs Pet Cemetery, was founded by a war veteran, who has been described by a local newspaper as a “pet cemetery evangelist”.
There certainly seems to be a connection between times of war and suffering and pet cemeteries.
It is likely that the emotional pain the soldiers experienced during wartime made them hold on to their beloved companions even tighter. Giving them a proper burial was simply a way for them to show their love and respect for their pets.
The Haunted History of Pet Cemeteries in the Bay Area
Animal spirits are fiercely loyal, so it is no surprise that some would choose to linger on.
There are plenty of rumors going around about dead pets roaming the cemetery grounds. People said they were waiting for their beloved owners to return… And even some of those same owners returning from war to stroll through the pet cemeteries themselves.
1. Dogs of War
The Presidio Pet Cemetery is, supposedly, one of the most haunted pet cemeteries in the world.
Hidden under a fog-cloaked bridge on a decommissioned military base, the Presidio Pet Cemetery houses the remains of hundreds of pets. These are dogs, cats, and hamsters, or exotic companions such as macaws and parakeets.
This is also the place where the military personnel stationed in Presidio came to bury their beloved companions.
The dogs buried here, are no ordinary companions. These dogs have seen more violence than most of us today, and it shows. Their souls just can’t move on.
And it’s not just ghosts of dead pets you see at this cemetery, either.
Occasionally, a soldier in a WWII uniform will be seen gliding through the grounds of the cemetery, only to disappear at the end of the Presidio bridge.
2. The Forgotten Companions
While the Presidio Pet Cemetery now boasts a protected landmark status, there are plenty of resting places in Bay Area that have been forgotten by the general public.
One Fremont resident stumbled upon the abandoned Warm Springs Pet Cemetery when taking his morning stroll to a nearby deli.
And, back in 2006, people were forced to dig up hundreds of pet graves at the Colma Pet Cemetery because a real estate firm had other plans for it.
(Wonder what kind of hauntings that real estate firm is experiencing now…)
The Haunt Experience
A pet cemetery is not a place one would want to stumble upon while walking their dog in the morning, that’s for sure.
However, if spooky occurrences are actually your thing and you would like to learn more about San Francisco’s (SF) dark past, our Haunted San Francisco Ghost Tour is for you!
From macabre stories of bloody murders to unbelievable tales of San Francisco’s most revered madams, the tour is bound to make even the bravest souls feel a little uneasy.