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Pet memorial hides


DragonsWest

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I've been notified by my sister that my remaining cat, Ted, is nearing the end of his life. I've found many caches dedicated to pets and even found memorials along the trail. Pets can be a big part of our lives and Ted has had a big part of mine and my Dad's for 21 years. When I moved to California from Michigan I made the difficult decision to leave Bill and Ted behind with my parents as I thought it the better for them that I didn't uproot them and move then 2,500 miles.

 

My father readily adopted Bill, a complete and utter people cat, the sort who runs to the door when there's a knock or ring and plops down in the doorway the moment the door is open, 'well? are you going to rub my belly or not?' - could be Jack the Ripper out there and he didn't care - truly one of the great cats with people.

 

Ted was as quite a different sort, taking more time to find his way out from under a bed and peer around the corner to see if the intruder was gone. Still, when Bill passed away he readily filled the gap for my father as walking companion and slowly getting about the house or resting pal.

 

I well remember the day I got them, in a cardboard box, both small enough to sleep in the palm of my hand. Incapable of climbing a single stair, but ready to torment a loose shoestring in a heartbeat. After two decades these two animals will both have passed and I'll be left with a hole in my heart, only populated by memories.

 

I'm undecided on a memorial cache, as it seems such an odd thing, particularly since the brothers will both be buried side by side in Michigan and I'm still in California. So many pet memorials, too.

 

If I do, however, it will be an ammo box. I feel their memory deserves nothing less.

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I think a cache is a fitting tribute for a beloved animal friend. A local cacher lost his dog last year, and there was a tribute to the dog at the Central Ontario mega event last Spring. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.

 

And I'm pretty sure that dog had more finds than me.

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There are a few memorial caches around my neck of the woods and both Riley the Geo-dog and I enjoy visiting them. Usually, they contain stories about their beloved friend on the cache page that are enjoyable to read. Some of them are even pet oriented to where swag items are pet only, such as chew toys or sealed treats. We love visiting the caches that people put tons of love into and these ones are usually great finds.

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Before going to yellowstone this year I made a travel bug with a keychain I found in a cache that represents my two cats and my dog at that time. The old boy just wasn't moving like he used to and couldn't go geocaching with me as a result.

 

So I released it while out there and having fun. The dog was in a kennel and the night I came back from yellowstone I had to put him to sleep because he had a debilitating stroke. So now that travel bug means just a little more to me.

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It's an excellent idea, just do it. Wimsey wasn't just our pet, he was the inspiration for my caching name. After he died I hid a cache for him about 60' from where I found my first one and became wimseyguy in this arena.

 

Cats are curious and fascinating creatures. Much as Ted has sensed your dad's needs and changed his ways, Camille our third cat, recognized the void when wimsey, and then shadow left us. She used to be very aloof and not pay any attention to me unless her bowl was empty. Now she is the one who is waiting at the door, and climbs all over us when we are watching TV or in bed.

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Ok, I guess I'll be the only dissenting vote.

 

I'm not a great fan of memorial caches of any kinds, pets or humans.

 

I'm out having a great joyous day caching and come across a sad cache to someone's mother who died a slow painful death. It just doesn't seem the right venue.

 

Kind of like having a memorial service during a birthday party. Doesn't quite fit.

 

Not quite the right time or place. I'd rather see memorials during a time when people are ready and willing to have that quiet introspective moment that would be the appropriate tribute to someone.

 

That being said, anyone can place any cache for anything.

 

And I'm not a fan of a lot of cache names.

 

We have a series here, "Will my sister find it #1" it's up to ten at this point.

Makes caching many in a day tough, especially if you're with someone. "OK, what's next? "Will my sister find it. " "We just got that one", "Oh, it's number 31"

 

I'd rather see, "Rainbow Park historical site"

But there are only so many of those to be had.

 

If this is how it means the most to you to memorialize you dog, well then do it.

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I can see where one would feel they don't fit.

 

Any human/pet memorial cache I have been to have always been in kind of quiet secluded spots that didn't invite a joyous party like atmosphere and they were always done tastefully. The one for a person was great because it didn't focus on the death but rather the life and hte log book was really fun on that one as a result. The pet ones have always been tasteful little remembrances.

 

But the spots themselves invite introspection and reflection versus a party like atmosphere. But I tend to process my thoughts a lot while geocaching too. Especially when I'm alone.

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Seveal years ago, we sent out two travel bugs, named for our two elderly cats, Cleo and Mimi. The TBs were keychains that looked similar to the cats themselves. Both TBs enjoyed good long runs, and continued travelling on for a while after the two cats themselves had passed away. Now, though, like so many TBs and coins, they are both in the infamous "unknown location."

 

I hadn't thought of doing a memorial cache for the cats, but if I did, I think I'd just name it something like "Cleo's and Mimi's Cache". I would enjoy having it remind me of our pets, but I wouldn't necessarily want to emphasize that it was a memorial.

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We put an ammo can out for our cache. It is called "Tippy's Home Forever". We adopted her from our local pound- a beautiful little German Shorthair/coon dog mix puppy. The kids had just enough time to fall in love with her before the Parvo that she'd contracted in the pound took her down. We weren't able to bury her here but this was the only home she'd ever had so we chose to honor her presence. The kids wanted an ammo can so we could observe the items that were traded in and out- so far the swag is staying at the "good quality" level.

 

There are people who won't do our cache, though, and I understand. We put it in a far corner of our yard out by the main highway. It is far enough away from our house that my husband is comfortable. Poor guy is a muggle. I just can't convert him. But HE was the one who suggested putting out a cache for Tippy.

 

I don't find memorial caches depressing. Instead I find them touching. That someone loved someone, even an animal, enough to remember them makes me smile. It is Love, after all, that makes the world go 'round.

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Ok, I guess I'll be the only dissenting vote.

 

I'm not a great fan of memorial caches of any kinds, pets or humans.

No you are not. What I find bizarre is this from a previous post:

 

A local cacher lost his dog last year, and there was a tribute to the dog at the Central Ontario mega event last Spring.

I wonder what the heck that dog did to deserve a tribute at a mega event. It seems incongruous to me. I prefer people to be a bit more circumspect in such private matters.

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No you are not. What I find bizarre is this from a previous post:

 

A local cacher lost his dog last year, and there was a tribute to the dog at the Central Ontario mega event last Spring.

I wonder what the heck that dog did to deserve a tribute at a mega event. It seems incongruous to me. I prefer people to be a bit more circumspect in such private matters.

I would consider it a local thing. Think about it. You not being local, how would you know the way the community might feel about the owner and their dog? Perhaps they were well known and the dog was well loved by the local community. Obviously, that must have been the case.

 

For example, many people know Bulli the Wonder Dog and I am sure the geocaching community that knows Bulli will be shocked when he finally passes. Bulli is probably one of the most well known geocaching dogs around the southeast and beyond. Have you ever heard of him by chance? If not, then how can you speculate how people feel about him? I would think the owners would be honored by such a tribute. I know I would be honored with regard to J.C. if his passing was recognized by the geocaching community when his final day comes.

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No you are not. What I find bizarre is this from a previous post:

 

A local cacher lost his dog last year, and there was a tribute to the dog at the Central Ontario mega event last Spring.

I wonder what the heck that dog did to deserve a tribute at a mega event. It seems incongruous to me. I prefer people to be a bit more circumspect in such private matters.

I would consider it a local thing. Think about it. You not being local, how would you know the way the community might feel about the owner and their dog? Perhaps they were well known and the dog was well loved by the local community. Obviously, that must have been the case.

 

For example, many people know Bulli the Wonder Dog and I am sure the geocaching community that knows Bulli will be shocked when he finally passes. Bulli is probably one of the most well known geocaching dogs around the southeast and beyond. Have you ever heard of him by chance? If not, then how can you speculate how people feel about him? I would think the owners would be honored by such a tribute. I know I would be honored with regard to J.C. if his passing was recognized by the geocaching community when his final day comes.

I do not care to get into a big to-do over this but will clarify a couple of issues. I made no speculation about anything in my post. I do wonder about holding a tribute at a mega event for a local cacher's dog. I am only guessing that a local event might be a more subtle venue. To answer your question, no I do not know "Bulli the Wonder Dog" and would like to keep it that way. I do question the need to anthropomorphize animals and give them titles. This is not a proper forum for my theories on that matter so I will keep them to myself.

 

Thank you for posting your view from the other side of the issue. I appreciate it when people try to explain things I do not understand.

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