Families drive from Limassol, Paralimni and Paphos to reach a quiet plot of land in Deftera, Nicosia district, where nearly 350 animals — dogs, cats, even guinea pigs — lie buried beneath decorated headstones, toy windmills and small candle shrines.
Angels Pet Cemetery, opened in 2022, is Cyprus’s first licensed pet burial ground. Spread across 1,000 square metres of private land, it offers what its founder says the Cypriot state does not: a dignified farewell for a family pet.
The idea came to Angelos Petevinos after his dog got sick. “I asked what the procedure was and found out that pets are incinerated at animal waste processing units,” he told Phileleftheros. “Knowing how difficult loss is, I decided to create my own pet cemetery.” It took him nearly three years to secure the required licences. The facility operates in compliance with EU regulations.
Visitors entering the cemetery first encounter a memory tree — a painted mural on which owners can hang a small object in their pet’s memory. Six burial lanes extend from there, lined on both sides with graves bearing individual marble headstones. Some are inscribed in Russian, Hebrew or Mandarin. Many are decorated with toys, stuffed animals and flowers. At the far end of the site sits a communal grave surrounded by a wooden structure where memorial plaques are also placed.
Petevinos is critical of how Cyprus currently handles pet deaths, saying the state treats dead animals as ordinary waste. That approach, he said, pushes owners to bury pets in private or public spaces without proper precautions — something that carries fines and poses health risks. At Angels Pet Cemetery, he said, “we make sure the pet is taken to its final resting place with respect, love and dignity.”
The cemetery offers individual and communal burials, as well as cremation with ashes returned in an urn through a partner company. Owners can arrange collection of the animal from home or a veterinary clinic and may be present at the burial.
Individual burial costs €300 for three years for a small grave and €400 for a large one, with annual renewal fees of €80 and €100 respectively. After three years, if an owner does not wish to renew, the animal is transferred to the communal grave. Communal burial costs €100 with no further charges.
Marble headstones — included in burial prices — show the pet’s name, birth and death dates, burial number, and either a paw print indicating the species or a photograph. Personalised coffins are also available.
The cemetery is open at weekends; weekday visits are by appointment.
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