Mongrel gets lavish funeral - Owner gives beloved pet a colourful send-off

After laying one of his four-legged friends to rest in 2022, Peter Perry, owner of Perry's Funeral Home, is once again taking special pride in saying goodbye to a beloved pooch.

Perry, who has conducted hundreds of burials - but only of the human variety, told THE STAR that his female pet dog 'Babes' was one of the first two dogs present when he acquired the property on Jobs Lane in Spanish Town, St Catherine. He noted that he had previously paid similar tribute to another dog, Ringo, in 2022.

"When I bought the property, they came on the property and they have never left," he said. Perry recalled that Ringo died weeks after being struck and seriously injured by a car. But Babes, a mongrel, died of what he described as old age.

"She was just very old. They have a special place in my heart. For the past year I took this one home with me, so she died at home. I took her home because I just wanted her to retire after all the work she do. So mi just bring her up and make she relax," he said.

After more than a decade of guarding the property, Perry said that even in old age, Babes maintained respect from the other dogs.

"Animals have sense because if me put down a bucket a KFC chicken and Babes just make one growl and sit down and look at the chicken, none ah the dog them can't touch it. Them just respect her, even when I brought her to the yard," he said.

As he prepared for Babes' funeral and burial today, Perry reflected on a memorable moment involving his deceased pets, recalling what he described as an incident of "infidelity".

"The last set a baby Babes have, mi remember Ringo walk go there the day and look say all the pickney dem white and it's not fi him colour, and just jump on Babes and start beat her enuh. Mi tell you them dog is real human being," he said. Babes will be buried beside Ringo on the property.

Perry said a viewing and set up for Babes were held last evening and went up close to midnight.

"A whole heap a people come, workers and whole heap a people from outside. Last night we play music, drink soup, buy liquor," he said. Babes was placed in a pink and white casket decorated with her name and photos with a finishing touch of silver handles. She was dressed in a pink floral top with layered tulle, along with earrings and a silver necklace.

Perry noted that burials for animals are not offered by his funeral home but made an exception due to his personal attachment.

"I am not interested in this but because these are special animals to me," he said, adding that pet owners should consider giving their animals "a proper burial".

"Your dog will never bite you enuh, but a friend will stab you in the back. I just have a lot of good memories of Babes," he added.