DOG CHAPEL

One of the most special parts of Dog Mountain is a one-of-a-kind Dog Chapel – complete with stained-glass windows – that Huneck designed to pay tribute to our furry friends.

“I thought it would be wonderful if we could create a ritual space to help achieve closure and lessen the pain when we lose a beloved dog,” Huneck said about the chapel. “I spared no expense or labor to make it just as beautiful as I possibly could.”

As Dog Mountain’s website states, “In 2000, the Dog Chapel was introduced to the world as a symbol of peace, love, and remembrance. In the more than 20 years since, it has been transformed into a living piece of communal art and history, ever-evolving with each new note and photo pinned to the overflowing walls. The Chapel has become a unique and moving physical embodiment of the unending love people have to give.”

"As soon as the Dog Chapel was open to the public, I invited everyone who came to visit to put up a photo of their departed dog and to write a few sentences about what their dog meant to them,” Huneck said. “I set aside a wall in the foyer of the Dog Chapel, which I called the Remembrance Wall for this purpose. I had envisioned maybe someday having the foyer filled top to bottom with dog pictures. I never anticipated the whole building - every single space - covered with photos and words of remembrance, as the chapel is today.”

However, it is not only for those who have lost a dog. “Grieving for a lost dog is one aspect of the Dog Chapel, but equally important is celebrating the joy of living and the bond between dogs and their owners,” Huneck also noted. “I wanted people and dogs to have the most fun they possibly could. To this end, I have put in hiking trails, ponds for dogs to swim in, and an agility course for them to play on. In the winter folks come and snowshoe with their dogs, enjoying the pristine surroundings and the spectacular views.”

To get a better sense of the Dog Chapel, we recommend checking out the video below from Great Big Story.