People are very attached to their pets. Some so more than others. It's hard for some to let a dead dog lie when it's buried in the Uniontown City Cemetery and only during the current dog days of summer could a little rat terrier who's been gone for years cause so much trouble. Just like the name of Steve Martin's dog in his 1979 movie "The Jerk," people really started talking when the owner recently put up a tombstone that incorporates a vulgar word normally associated with excrement..."Shithead."
Judy Hagan lost her beloved rat terrier eight years ago. After he passed away, she bought two plots at a local cemetery: one for her and one for her dedicated dog. Now, eight years later, Hagan has created a memorial and tombstone for her dog to demonstrate how much she loved him. "There a few people in town who seem to have a problem with it. He's been there eight years. They're upset because I put a marker up there. It's a headstone, a little plaque. It's not real big. I've always had an angel there, anyway. "I didn't do it to start any stink. I did it in memory of my dog. I'm sorry people don't understand it. But he was my best friend and he's got that right. I'm an animal lover and I don't care who knows it. I'm going to speak up for them because they can't speak up for themselves."
The dog, which was about 17 or 18 when it died, was something of a community icon, according to the city clerk. "Everybody in town knew her dog," she said. "When it died it was like everyone in town lost their pet. Everybody knew him," Hagan said. "It was even announced on the radio when he passed away." The clerk (not the Jerk although I really love that movie) said there's no city ordinance prohibiting the burial of a dog in the city cemetery. State law and the Kentucky Administration Regulations are also silent on the subject.
Some local residents in Uniontown, Kentucky are calling it disrespectful to the families in this cemetery. Also some other families complain that they don’t want to be buried next to an animal. One man, Ed Burnett, has a grandmother that does not want to be in the same cemetery as Hagan’s rat terrier. Burnett said that he doesn’t think that his grandmother is aware of the name, but if she was aware, she would end up in the hospital. He thinks that Hagan can find a better name for her dog. Except Hagan doesn’t want to rename her dead dog. She takes care of the grave and speaks about her special dog as if he were her child. Hagan simply says that Shithead was her dog’s name, and she’s proud of it. She doesn’t care who gets mad about it. She only wanted the tombstone to remember her faithful dog and didn’t want to cause a controversy.
Those who object "are just trying to blow it out of proportion," said Judy Hagan, the loving dog owner who also is in charge of cemetery maintenance and sanitation for Uniontown. "They should be more concerned about the vandalism out there when 97 tombstones were torn up." Uniontown Mayor Kevin Ferguson has already asked City Attorney Mike Williamson to look into the matter, Brown said. Neither Ferguson nor Williamson were available for comment Tuesday.
Isn't it just amazing how much people really love their pets? This lady has taken care of her pet's grave more than most people ever do. I'm getting a strong smell that this lady is in some deep shit! Or should I be politically correct and say "doggie-doo?"![]()
People are very attached to their pets. Some so more than others. It's hard for some to let a dead dog lie when it's buried in the Uniontown City Cemetery and only during the current dog days of summer could a little rat terrier who's been gone for years cause so much trouble. Just like the name of Steve Martin's dog in his 1979 movie "The Jerk," people really started talking when the owner recently put up a tombstone that incorporates a vulgar word normally associated with excrement..."Shithead."
Judy Hagan lost her beloved rat terrier eight years ago. After he passed away, she bought two plots at a local cemetery: one for her and one for her dedicated dog. Now, eight years later, Hagan has created a memorial and tombstone for her dog to demonstrate how much she loved him. "There a few people in town who seem to have a problem with it. He's been there eight years. They're upset because I put a marker up there. It's a headstone, a little plaque. It's not real big. I've always had an angel there, anyway. "I didn't do it to start any stink. I did it in memory of my dog. I'm sorry people don't understand it. But he was my best friend and he's got that right. I'm an animal lover and I don't care who knows it. I'm going to speak up for them because they can't speak up for themselves."
The dog, which was about 17 or 18 when it died, was something of a community icon, according to the city clerk. "Everybody in town knew her dog," she said. "When it died it was like everyone in town lost their pet. Everybody knew him," Hagan said. "It was even announced on the radio when he passed away." The clerk (not the Jerk although I really love that movie) said there's no city ordinance prohibiting the burial of a dog in the city cemetery. State law and the Kentucky Administration Regulations are also silent on the subject.
Some local residents in Uniontown, Kentucky are calling it disrespectful to the families in this cemetery. Also some other families complain that they don’t want to be buried next to an animal. One man, Ed Burnett, has a grandmother that does not want to be in the same cemetery as Hagan’s rat terrier. Burnett said that he doesn’t think that his grandmother is aware of the name, but if she was aware, she would end up in the hospital. He thinks that Hagan can find a better name for her dog. Except Hagan doesn’t want to rename her dead dog. She takes care of the grave and speaks about her special dog as if he were her child. Hagan simply says that Shithead was her dog’s name, and she’s proud of it. She doesn’t care who gets mad about it. She only wanted the tombstone to remember her faithful dog and didn’t want to cause a controversy.
Those who object "are just trying to blow it out of proportion," said Judy Hagan, the loving dog owner who also is in charge of cemetery maintenance and sanitation for Uniontown. "They should be more concerned about the vandalism out there when 97 tombstones were torn up." Uniontown Mayor Kevin Ferguson has already asked City Attorney Mike Williamson to look into the matter, Brown said. Neither Ferguson nor Williamson were available for comment Tuesday.
Isn't it just amazing how much people really love their pets? This lady has taken care of her pet's grave more than most people ever do. I'm getting a strong smell that this lady is in some deep shit! Or should I be politically correct and say "doggie-doo?"
