Stops on the tour

The labyrinth tradition

The oldest labyrinth patterns are often referred to as "classical," and were first seen on a clay tablet in Greece (1200 BC). Classical labyrinths consist of 3, 7, 11, or 15 circular paths, one within the other, in a pattern of concentric circles.

The most common labyrinths have seven paths, and have been associated with the seven Chakras of the Hindu faith, the seven colors of the rainbow, and the seven notes of a musical scale.

In medieval prayer practice, the labyrinth became a powerful symbol representing a spiritual journey when traditional pilgrimages to the Holy Land became too dangerous for most travelers. Both in that time, and in our time, people have found labyrinths calming, peaceful, and useful for meditation.

Donate a memorial stone

Home for Life® donors can purchase a memorial stone to place in the garden in honor of their pets. The stones cost $250 each, and are engraved with names, dates or a special message determined by the donor.

To purchase a stone, fill out our online donation form or contact us my mail.

Honoring pets

The idea of honoring pets through respectful burial dates back at least 25 centuries. Ancient societies in the Middle East had dog cemeteries.

The most notable example is a cemetery used by Phoenicians living in Ashkelon (about 36 miles south of Tel Aviv, Israel) during the fifth and sixth centuries B.C. Archaeologists determined that all the dogs in the cemetery had died of natural causes. There are puppies and adult dogs, meticulously arranged in their graves so that every bone in their tails was preserved.

Other ancient dog cemeteries have been excavated in Iraq and Turkey.

Memorial Garden

purple flowers in the foreground, other plants and trees behind
The Memorial Garden in September. The sanctuary
buildings can be seen on the horizon.

At Home for Life®, each dog and cat is special to us. Many of the animals come to Home for Life® because they are older or have medical challenges. We recognize that there is a natural ebb and flow in life, and that the animals we lovingly care for do not live forever. Even as we mourn the loss of one of our residents, another animal comes to our attention who needs our help. In memory of the one departed, we open our hearts to this new cat or dog.

Every Home for Life® resident who has crossed the Rainbow Bridge is individually cremated and their ashes returned to us in a simple cardboard box bearing their name. Inspired by the book "The Dog Chapel" by Stephen Huneck, and wanting to ensure that our cherished animals are forever home, we created our Memorial Garden.

The Memorial Garden is located at the northwest end of the 40-acre property, nestled near the forest and Apple River, which borders the land. Its design is based on a labyrinth.

Labyrinths are an ancient symbol representing the spiritual journey that one takes to his/her center, a place of harmony and wholeness. The labyrinth has one path that winds throughout a maze, and becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives; it touches our sorrows and releases our joys.

The labyrinth is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religious traditions in various forms around the world. When making a journey through the Home For Life® Memorial Garden labyrinth, we are rediscovering a mystical tradition that is thousands of years old.

purple coneflower and dark red asters
A closeup of flowers marking the labyrinth borders.

Many people create labyrinths for symbolic reasons or as a quiet oasis. To these individuals, the garden labyrinth may provide personal, psychological, or spiritual transformation. For us at Home for Life®, walking through the Memorial Garden labyrinth is our special way of commemorating and honoring the beloved animals whom we have cared for—celebrating the joy of their lives, and remembering their happy months and years with us.

Each spring, we plant two new flowering shrubs or plants in memory of the animals who have died during the previous year—one for the cats and one for the dogs. A memorial stone made of natural river rock and bearing the name of each departed animal is placed in the garden