When travelling to judge a national bird dog championship, I saw a sign for the coondog cemetery and I just had to see it! As luck would have it, I got an afternoon off from judging and had some free time to travel to Colbert County, Alabama to the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary.
Over Labor Day every year, there is a large celebration and bluegrass music festival at the cemetery. I can only imagine how much fun that is! The day I visited was a dreary February day in Alabama. You could hear the rustling of critters in the woods, but no hound song or music in the hills. Yet, the beauty and love exhibited in that memorial showed loud and clear.
We won't find our family pets in the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary. Dogs must be coondogs (no other breeds allowed) and must be hunting dogs true to their heritage. Yet, every one of the nearly 200 dogs in the cemetery is loved and honored as much or more than any dog you can imagine.
Over Labor Day every year, there is a large celebration and bluegrass music festival at the cemetery. I can only imagine how much fun that is! The day I visited was a dreary February day in Alabama. You could hear the rustling of critters in the woods, but no hound song or music in the hills. Yet, the beauty and love exhibited in that memorial showed loud and clear.
We won't find our family pets in the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary. Dogs must be coondogs (no other breeds allowed) and must be hunting dogs true to their heritage. Yet, every one of the nearly 200 dogs in the cemetery is loved and honored as much or more than any dog you can imagine.
If you want to see artwork, gaze carefully at Troop's memorial. It has a tree and two treeing hounds on it.
Many of the other headstones also have beautiful images of hounds. You can feel the love oozing from even the most simple wooden crosses with hand etched words.
What brought tears to my eyes were the orange hunting collars and tags hanging from the dog's cross. So many people find comfort in holding on to their dogs' collars and their ID tags or licenses long after they are gone. A collar is a very personal item specific to that one special dog.
Stopping by the Key Underwood Coondog Cemetary for a moment of peace in the woods on the mountain top in rural Colbert County, Alabama was well worth it. It was a touching reminder of how important my beloved coonhounds are to their owners, no matter where or what walk of life they come.
I will forever picture those collars resting gently atop gravestones and crosses.
Go to www.coondogcemetary.com if you'd like to see some of the pictures and information about this touching ritual.
By Mary Beth Hall
I will forever picture those collars resting gently atop gravestones and crosses.
Go to www.coondogcemetary.com if you'd like to see some of the pictures and information about this touching ritual.
By Mary Beth Hall
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