When celebrating Día de Muertos this week, remember to pay tribute to your four-legged friends and other pets that have made an impact in your life over the years with pet ofrendas.
The actual date that pets are said to come back to visit their owners is October 27. The date was originally set aside for dogs, but over the years, all pets have been included in the tradition. According to the mythology, dogs help people who have died cross over. The belief was specifically designated for the Xoloitzcuintle dog. Ceramic sculptures of the dog have been found at burial sites for the Mayan and Toltec people in West Mexico. And in ancient times, the breed would be sacrificed and buried with its owners to act as spirit guides during a journey to the underworld.
Like with the altars for humans, pets who return to pay a visit to their owners also love getting some of their favorite treats. So, don’t forget to place some chew toys, milk bones, catnip, water bowls, and whatever else your special friends enjoyed when they were here on your pet ofrendas. In many of the videos posted online, pet owners did all of this and more by including the songs “Remember Me” and “El Latido de mi Corazón” from the animated film Coco, which makes sense because Miguel’s dog Dante is a Xoloitzcuintle.
So, grab a few boxes of tissues and take a look at some of the emotional videos of the ofrendas animal lovers set up for their pets.