Presidio Pet Cemetery
The Verdict
"A half-acre pet cemetery in the Presidio, surrounded by a white picket fence and shaded by Monterey pines. Hundreds of graves for dogs, cats, parakeets, rabbits, hamsters, lizards, goldfish, and at least one mouse, with the oldest visible markers dating to the early 1950s and many headstones engraved in the format of military grave markers. Free, dawn to dusk, on McDowell near Crissy Field Avenue."
What you need to know
Pet Graves Under Monterey Pines
A half-acre plot in the Presidio holds the graves of hundreds of pets, mostly dogs and cats, plus parakeets, rabbits, hamsters, lizards, goldfish, and at least one mouse. The cemetery is surrounded by a white picket fence and shaded by Monterey pines. Many headstones mimic the format of official military grave markers and are engraved with the pet’s name and the family’s rank. The oldest visible markers date to the early 1950s.
What’s There
The headstones carry the visit. Some are formal in the military style. Others are personal: hand-painted, decorated with toys, or inscribed with messages from the families.
The cemetery’s origins are not fully documented. It may have started as a burial ground for cavalry horses, World War II guard dogs, or officers’ family pets; the records are incomplete. The cemetery fell into disrepair in the 1970s before an anonymous retired Navy veteran began maintaining it.
About five to ten minutes to walk through.
Visiting
Address: McDowell Avenue near Crissy Field Avenue, the Presidio
Hours: Dawn to dusk. No gate.
Cost: Free
What to know: Look for the white picket fence along McDowell Avenue. No new burials are allowed.
Getting There
Transit: Muni 28-19th Avenue or PresidiGo shuttle through the Presidio. The 30-Stockton stops at the Presidio’s eastern edge.
Parking: Free parking along McDowell Avenue and throughout the Presidio.
Walking: Near Crissy Field, the Presidio Officers’ Club, and the Walt Disney Family Museum.