Tucked quietly off the A947 between Newmachar and Dyce, Rosehall Pet Cemetery has long been a haven for grieving pet owners looking to lay their animals to rest.
Owner Anne Charles, a former animal welfare officer, first realised there was a need for such a place when she had to drive nearly 100 miles to Edinburgh to bury her beloved cat.
That difficult experience — and a strong belief that people should have more choice in how they say goodbye to their pets — set the wheels in motion. In 2008, she opened Rosehall Pet Cemetery.
Fast forward to 2025, and more than 150 pets have now been laid to rest in the one-and-a-half-acre site.
They’ve come in all shapes and sizes — from loyal dogs and much-loved cats to tortoises, budgies, and even a tiny hamster who made the long journey from Banff.
Aberdeen pet cemetery mission
“I used to bury my pets in my mother’s garden,” Anne recalls. “Then one day she said it was full — and I panicked.
“I ended up having to take my cat all the way to Edinburgh. That was the closest place.”
That moment planted a seed. A few years later, when Anne had land of her own, she set about creating a cemetery for pets. But the process wasn’t easy.
It took years of navigating planning regulations, environmental testing, and even objections from neighbours before Rosehall could become a reality.
Deep connection to animals
Anne’s connection to animals runs deep. She grew up on a farm, studied biological sciences, worked in veterinary laboratories, and trained with the SSPCA.
“I’m from a farming background, but I used to play with the pigs when I was little — and then I’d watch my dad kill them. It just never sat right with me,” she says.
“I’ve been vegetarian for probably 40 years. I believe that farm animals, pets, they all have a soul.”
Over the years, Anne has buried pets for terminally ill owners, helped people let go after years of holding on, and offered quiet comfort with no judgment.
“One man brought three dogs on a motorbike in rucksacks — they’d been in his freezer for years,” she says.
“He wasn’t ready to let go until then. It’s emotional work. I carry a lot of people’s grief with me.
“I understand how gut-wrenching and horrendous it feels to lose something you love. That’s what motivates me.”
Giving local pet owners an option
Yet despite being open for nearly 17 years, Anne says many people in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire still don’t know the cemetery exists.
“That’s the shame,” she says. “Even now, some vets still tell clients the nearest burial option is in Glasgow. It’s frustrating — people deserve to know all their options, not just cremation.”
At Rosehall Pet Cemetery, the cost to bury a cat is £450, while dogs range from £500 to £800, depending on their size.
Pets can be laid to rest in eco-friendly coffins made from willow, jute or cardboard — or even wrapped in their own blanket or fabric bed.
A small cabin on site holds books of remembrance for every pet, each one filled with photographs, names, and stories shared by their owners.
Anne hopes more people will discover Rosehall — not just in times of grief, but as a peaceful place to return to and remember.
Conversation