Save Pet Memorial Gardens Cemetery

We are in need of help because of a legal issue that effect’s our Pet/People Cemetery. 

Our cemetery was created 47 years ago at a time when it was not common to bury pets in a cemetery. Our four legged family members deserve respect for their love and companionship, what better way to honor their lives.

If every Pet Lover donates $1.00 to our cause, we will be able to preserve a historical resting place for the pets and people interned at Pet Memorial Gardens Cemetery. 

We also feel its time because of many questions and concerns from patrons to be truthful of the extent of the problems. We love Pet Memorial Gardens Cemetery. It’s a place of final resting beauty and peace.

Our precious pet Honey Bear was interned February 2007 at Pet Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. We had many questions about the cemetery at that time. After much deliberation during our time of grief, we were told the cemetery would always be there forever. A few months after our pet’s internment we were told by other patrons the Cemetery was for sale. The cemetery also appeared unkempt and overgrown with weeds. We immediately contacted the owners and voiced our concern with the information we were given about the sale of the cemetery. We were told by the spouse we would have to talk to her husband. She implied she had worked hard on saving the cemetery but she alone could not run the cemetery properly without support. She did not confirm or deny that it was for sale only to speak to her husband. We reminded her of our conversation about the cemetery and reassurance the cemetery would always be there. After speaking to her husband he expressed his desire to sell. He stated the cemetery did not make enough money to pay for the taxes and upkeep. You can imagine how upset we felt after basically being lied too. Other patrons were also very concerned with the future of the cemetery. It seems we were all reassured in the same manor.  They were also selling prepaid reservations for future burials which we had purchased four. At that time the cemetery was five acres. We were desperate to do something to insure the future of the cemetery. We purchased the section of the property that contained the majority of the headstones. One year later we purchased a section where the mobile home is that was being utilized as the undertakers establishment. We understood the mobile home was a replacement for the mobile home that was on the property for approximately 30 years. While Robert was hospitalized for leukemia for 6 months the owner sold an additional two acres of the property to a land developer. He also sold a portion of our land/cemetery to the same developer. When Robert was release from the hospital it was with great heartache to see the destruction of the two acres of the cemetery property. We were not notified by the owner that a portion of the five acre cemetery was being sold. This now leaves us trying to regain ownership of the portion of our property that he sold to developers belonging to us.

Two acres have already been destroyed of the original five acres that was declared a cemetery in 1972 by Charles & Elsie Tackett. Their commitment to the cemetery was unwavering. Charles Tackett would hand-make each casket with love and care. Elsie showed the utmost compassion to each new family member that was interned at Pet Memorial Gardens Cemetery. It is disheartening to see devastating destruction caused by large land developers on such a historically significant cemetery. Our easement, signage and statues are also compromised. We are desperately trying to carry on the legacy of Charles and Elsie Tackett as a place of beauty and peace, and most of all it is the final resting place our beloved family members.

Help us save the beauty and integrity of our cemetery so that we can all rest in peace knowing that our cherished pets and loved ones can be protected from the destruction caused by large land developers. Any additional funds received will be put back into the cemetery for repairs caused by hurricanes Matthew and Irma.