Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM Winter Hours
(815) 399-5011

                                                                                                                                                                                        Spring Clean Up

                                                                                              The Charles Street Pet Cemetery does a Spring Clean Up, scheduled every year on April 1, that is held in conjuction with Arlington Memorial Park and regardless 

                                                                                              of where Easter falls on the calender. Keep this in mind when bringing out decorations.  At that time, EVERYTHING but the shepherd hooks are removed and 

                                                                                              disposed of. This included ALL floral arrangements, wreaths, baskests, etc. The staff doesn't have time to do individual assessments of the flowers. If you want to 

                                                                                               save anything, please remove it by the last week of March.

                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                      Seasonal Flowers Available

                          The baskets go out in mid April after Spring Clean Up. Orders general start in February or March. They are often available through out the year until sold out an                                                                     and we often have shepherd hooks available too if you need one.

                                                                   Christmas wreaths usually go on sale mid to late September and available until sold out. The sales go through Arlington Memorial Park, so let the office know

                                                                   when you order that's it's for a pet at the Pet Cemetery. You can also contact the office throughout the year and ask to be placed on the flowers and/or wreaths 

                                                                  mailing list for the postcard reminders.    

                         

                                                                                             


Decorating Guidelines

 Charles Street Pet Cemetery 6202 Charles St. Rockford, IL 61108 (815) 399-5011

office@arlingtonmemorialcemetery.com

             These GUIDELINES have been established by the Officers of the Charles Street Pet Cemetery and Trustees of Arlington Memorial Park (as pet cemetery’s landlord) to assist family and visitors to the pet cemetery during their visits to the serene surrounds. The Officers and Trustees have carefully strived to establish prudent guidelines that will allow us to successfully deliver the mandate for providing quality perpetual care in a spae that is shared by many.

Burial: After burial, all graves are filled and backfilled as needed. Grass seed will be planted.

Markers: All grave markers must be approved and set by the Pet Cemetery staff. Markers can be made of bronze or granite and flat. No slant markers and uprights are limited to certain areas and certain conditions must be met and approved.  The granite marker must be 4 inches thick. Bronze markers must be set on concrete. Anything not approved and set by the cemetery will be removed.

Perpetual Care: Perpetual care funds provide for the ongoing maintenance of the Cemetery. These are one-time charges collected with internment and marker settings, same as in the people sections.

Maintenace: This includes lawn maintenance/trimming around markers, alignment, raising, and setting of markers, this is the cemetery's responsibiltiy. Repairs to the physical markers are the responsibility of the marker owner. Maintenance of roads, buildings and equipment is the responsibility of the Cemetery and Association. Necessary trimming or removal of trees and shrubs will be the decision of the Cemetery Manager and Grounds Crew. No chemicals on the grass.

Planting: No planting of flowers, shrubs, etc. No landscaping materials of any kind, including rocks, mulch, or edging of any type. Again, no chemicals on the grass.

Decorating: Cemetery staff reserves the right to make informed decisions regarding the appropriateness of grave decorations. Staff will remove and dispose of all items that are contrary to the uniformity and beautification of the Cemetery.

Criteria for “inappropriate decorations” will be, but not limited to, those decorations that are detrimental to maintenance, and those which present a safety hazard to visitors and staff. A shepherd hook is allowed, with appropriate decorations including but not limited to live or silk plants, windchimes, birdhouses, etc. A single solar light will be allowed near the marker. No benches, trellises, grave blankets, urns, or in-ground vases are allowed in the Pet Cemetery.

Seasonal removal: All decorations will be removed the week of April 1st. If you have something you want to keep, please remove it before April 1st or it will be disposed of. Shepherd hooks may stay year-round, but take into consideration that during the winter months, if there is burial near the gravesite, the hook may be removed and not replaced due to frozen ground.

The Pet Cemetery staff and officers and Arlington Park Association (the landlord) are NOT responsible for damaged, misplaced or stolen personal property.  The Pet Cemetery and Arlington Park Association will try to protect markers and decorations during regular ground maintenance and preparations for internments. However, the Pet Cemetery and the Association cannot be responsible for such damage if it were to occur.

The cemetery shall not be liable for any injuries sustained by any person on the cemetery grounds.

THE FOLLWING ITEMS ARE NOT PERMITTED

Statues or lawn ornaments, no plaques/signs (unless hung from the shepherd hook) flag poles, fencing, seasonal caricatures, crockery, stuffed animals, wooden crosses, picture frames, glass of any kind including but not limited to jars and vases, wire stands, wooden markers, trees, seasonal or otherwise, no grave blankets. No benches, trellises, urns in-ground or above ground, no grave markers that haven’t been approved and set by the staff of the Pet Cemetery.

 

Revised April 2024

Copies of the decorating guidelines and Pet Cemetery rules  and regulations are available by contacting the office located at Arlington Memorial Park.