RON HENGGELER

Surrounded by a white picket fence, the pet cemetery is the final resting place for hundreds of loyal animals owned by families stationed at the Presidio. Most of the grave markers mimic those found in military cemeteries and sometimes reflect the pets' military lifestyle—listing birthplaces including China, England, Australia, and Germany. Many markers also include family names and owners' ranks, which include majors, colonels, and generals. Others contain only a simple epitaph, such as "A GI pet. He did his time." As in many military cemeteries, there are also markers to several "unknowns".

Grave markers in the pet cemetery date back to the 1950’s, when the Presidio was home to approximately 2,000 army families. Though there are no official records regarding the site, some credit authorization of the pet cemetery to Lt. General Joseph M. Swing, who was the commander of the Presidio at the time. In any case, there are numerous legends surrounding the cemetery, which some believe was originally a burial ground for nineteenth-century cavalry horses or World War II guard dogs.

During the 1970’s, the pet cemetery fell into disrepair. Legend has it that an anonymous former Navy man became the unofficial caretaker in those years and repaired the deteriorating headstones and repainted the fence. It is believed that he placed the military-style cautionary sign seen at the cemetery entrance.

Legend has it that the cemetery began as a 19th century burial ground for cavalry horses and that later guard dogs were buried here. Sometime after World War II it became the place where military families laid their companions “Tiger” and “Knucklehead” to rest. Some attribute the creation of the 450-square-foot cemetery to Lieutenant General Joseph M. Swing, who was the commander of the Presidio in the 1950s.

Many of the grave markers make it obvious that the pets buried there were Army brats. Some include the country of birth, such as China or Australia, and others show owners’ ranks, including majors, colonels, and generals.

Maintaining the Pet Cemetery
The cemetery has officially been closed to internments since 1963. In 2010, the Presidio Trust and Swords to Plowshares, a non-profit organization serving veterans in the Presidio, entered into a partnership to maintain the cemetery. Through the agreement, Trust staff members work with residents of Swords to Plowshares permanent supportive housing facility to care for the cemetery. Volunteers pull weeds, pick up trash, trim shrubs, and will eventually restore individual grave markers.