The Sea Breeze Pet Memorial Park in Huntington Beach has been temporarily closed as of Feb. 27 as the cemetery transitions to new management. While burials and cremations have been paused for the time being, the park is still open to visitors.
“The Seabreeze Pet Cemetery remains open, and as always, the community continues to have access to visit their beloved pets’ burial sites,” Rick Doane, managing director at West Coast Memorial L.A., said in an email. “The cemetery remains under the same ownership and our company continues to lease the Seabreeze Pet Cemetery from its owners. We have moved our crematory operations from the property, but we continue to maintain the property.”
Word had spread recently on social media that the more than 60-year-old cemetery was closed, drawing a flurry of comments and emails raising concerns it could be permanent, could the property be destined for development or would buried pets have to be relocated.
The grounds are still being maintained by a groundskeeper on site. Plots still belong to their owners, and people who currently have loved ones buried at Sea Breeze do not need to exhume their loved ones.
For many in the surrounding community, Sea Breeze is more than a memorial park.
“This is a very important property for pet owners who have their pet’s remains there, including pets belonging to Richard and Karen Carpenter, John Wayne and memorials to WWII canines, including Old Sarge,” said William Lancaster, a resident and pet owner.
Old Sarge is credited with saving the lives of nine Marines and received a Purple Heart. There is a life-sized statue in the park of him.
“(Sea Breeze) is a singularly interesting park, just reading the headstones and realizing the love that the pet owners have for their fur babies or feather babies gives visitors a lot to consider and enjoy.”
It is unclear when the memorial park’s offices will be up and running again.
Tens of thousands of pets are buried at Sea Breeze, one…
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