Past Events

By Christopher Nyerges

[Nyerges is the author of “Self-Sufficient Home” and other books, the editor of Wilderness Way magazine, and a teacher of survival skills. He can be reached at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or www.ChristopherNyerges.com.]

 

Everyone knows that a dog is man’s best friend. A woman’s too! And the family dog is an integral part of any outdoor experience.

 

Not long ago I was driving in my neighborhood and saw Prudence Boczarski-Daniel walking her dog Joe. But something was different. Prudence had Joe on a leash, as usual, but his rear feet were in a wheeled cart. “What’s this all about?” I wondered as I pulled over and parked.

 

Prudence told me that Joe had had problems with one of his rear legs for a long time, and that just that week the other leg “gave out.” Her 11-year-old beautiful pit bull could no longer walk. Since Prudence knew how much Joe enjoyed his walks, she found a way to continue taking him out by putting his rear end in a wheeled-cart and letting him walk with his front legs. I was laughing at the sight of this, but it was really very sad.

 

A week later I got a call from Prudence to inform me that Joe had died. She asked me if I would help her with a “fauneral,” a funeral for her dog Joe.

 

The next day, we dug a hole in a non-profit’s wildlife sanctuary and buried Joe, who was wrapped in one of Prudence’s aprons. This was near an avocado tree that Prudence had recently planted.

 

On the following Saturday, Prudence invited friends and family of Joe to come to the fauneral. It was a wonderful outdoor event in the wooded hills where you could hardly believe you were in the city.

 

As guests arrived, they were greeted to the lovely violin of Nicole Deweese, and everyone sat on hay bales covered with old carpets around Joe’s gravesite.

 

Prudence began by sharing some dog poetry, and then everyone got to hear about Joe’s long life as Prudence’s best friend (next to her husband).

 

It was a beautiful ceremony with more than a few tears in the crowd. I have been to human funerals that had less feeling.

 

Prudence had a large poster with photographs of Joe which was set up so everyone could see images of Joe’s life. A candle was lit and placed on the large rock over Joe’s grave, and mugwort was burning, giving the aroma of a church ceremony. Prudence then had the participants plant a rose and various herbs over Joe’s grave. A red brick had the name “JOE” laboriously carved onto its surface. Then, while everyone watered the plants, there was more of the angelic music of Nicole Deweese to close the ceremony.

 

Afterwards, we discussed how that spot will always be special to Prudence. This embodied a principle of permaculture of replenishing the land. Even with the death of her dog, Prudence Boczarski-Daniel practiced sound ecology in how the body of the dead dog was dealt with, and so provided a living example for others.

 

 

Questions on doing your own “fauneral” can be directed to Prudence at PruWeb@aol.com.