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Hamburg (dpa / lno) - For a year, the ashes of the late terrier Flocki stood on his mistress' closet.
This year the little white dog found its final resting place in the Ohlsdorf cemetery in Hamburg.
In addition to his urn, there are seven other urn spaces.
One of them is already reserved for the 73 year old woman.
"It is a good feeling.
It is good to know that I already have a grave site and a tombstone.
So my daughter doesn't have to worry about anything », says the woman from Hamburg, who doesn't want to reveal her name publicly.
She was the first to accept the new offer from Hamburg's largest cemetery.
And Flocki was buried as the first animal in the newly created themed garden.
Human-animal burials have been possible for the first time on the 760 square meter site since March.
There men and women can be buried right next to their pets.
There is space for a maximum of 940 urns on the demarcated area.
20 coffins are also possible - but only for people.
16 graves have already been allocated, said cemetery spokesman Lutz Rehkopf of the German Press Agency in Hamburg.
The graves are "bought" for 25 years each - counting from the first human burial.
The grave fields vary in size and cost between 1300 and 4050 euros.
The first funerals have already taken place.
"Two people and eight animals have already been buried in the community garden - six dogs and two cats."
It was already clear to the Ohlsdorf cemetery that the demand for the graves would be great.
This had already resulted in a participation process for the sustainable development program for the cemetery - “Ohlsdorf 2050” - four years ago.
At that time, many citizens wanted to be buried next to their pets, as managing director Carsten Helberg said.
"Pets are often perceived as family members and represent an important spiritual support, especially after the loss of a life partner."
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In order to enable human-animal burials in the Hanseatic city, the Hamburg Funeral Act was changed in 2019.
About two thirds of the places on the facility are still free, said spokesman Rehkopf.
One reason for this is also Corona.
Because of the pandemic, the initially high demand from the spring collapsed again.
The community garden for humans and animals is one of 14 themed gardens on the grounds of the almost 390 hectare Ohlsdorf cemetery.
The owner of Flocki regularly visits her dog's tombstone.
The animal was a wedding present from her husband, who had already died.
In addition to Flocki, not only she herself, but later also her daughter should be buried.
“I now have a new dog.
And he will be buried there too.
There is room for eight. "
Information on the burial sites for humans and animals
Information on the Ohlsdorf 2050 project