DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS: HONORING THE ANIMALS WHO CHANGED OUR LIVES

This year has asked us to say goodbye again and again.

We have lost foundational residents who stood at the beginning of Broken Shovels, treasured hospice patients entrusted to us for the final chapter of their lives, and beloved friends whose presence had become part of the shape and rhythm of every day.

We know that losing an animal companion can be one of the hardest experiences of a lifetime.

The love we share with animals is profound, intimate, and often difficult for the rest of the world to fully understand. Their absence can change the feeling of a home, the structure of a day, and our understanding of who we are. Yet there are very few places where that grief is given the space, ceremony, and community it deserves.

This Día de los Muertos, we want to create that space together, among people who understand one another because we have all known the life-changing closeness of an animal, whether they are still beside us or are now carried in memory.

From 11:00 a.m. to noon, we will gather for opening ceremonies and conversations centered on remembrance, saying goodbye, and living with grief.

Aztec dancers Yohualli Ehecatl Mitotiliztli will offer a traditional dance and blessing for the animals we have loved and lost, an offering of movement and spirit for the lives we continue to carry with us.

Dr. Jason Cordeiro of One Last Gift In-Home Euthanasia will speak about one of the most painful responsibilities we accept when we love an animal: knowing when it may be time, preparing ourselves for that final day, and creating a goodbye filled with as much peace and love as possible.

Julie Rushkewicz of Resilience and Recovery at Broken Shovels will speak about how grief moves through us, why the loss of an animal can be so devastating, and how we can find meaningful outlets for love that no longer has a physical place to go.

At the center of our gathering will be a community ofrenda. An ofrenda is a remembrance altar created to honor loved ones who have died through photographs, flowers, candles, letters, and other meaningful offerings. We welcome you to bring a photograph, memento, story, or letter to an animal you have loved and lost to add to ours.

At noon, we will begin a one-hour tour of the sanctuary and spend time with some of the animals whose lives continue here. Guests are welcome to join us at 11:00 for the ceremonies and conversations or arrive at noon for the sanctuary tour.

This gathering is not about leaving grief behind. It is about recognizing that grief exists because love existed first, and creating a place where neither has to be carried alone.

And because we all know that grief and celebration both require comfort food, we have invited Momma Jah’s to bring her incredible plant-based soul food, some of the very best we have ever eaten.

Come remember with us. Come share your grief with us. Come celebrate with us. Come feast with us.

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Important Details:

• Each guest must have a ticket, regardless of age

• Tickets are non-refundable

• If dangerous weather prevents the event, we will reschedule or offer a rain check

• No outside food or beverages permitted

• No companion animals allowed anywhere on the sanctuary

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Visitor Guidelines

Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary exists as a safe place for animals rescued from abuse, neglect, slaughter, and exploitation. We do not breed or sell animals.

This is not a petting zoo.

While many of the animals enjoy affection and interaction, they are not here as entertainment, but as individuals living their lives in a space designed for their comfort, autonomy, and wellbeing.

You are visiting their home.

We ask all guests to treat the animals with kindness and respect. Not every animal will want attention, and that choice must always be honored.

Many residents are in various stages of recovery from injury, illness, or trauma. Our care decisions are guided by veterinary expertise and long-term welfare priorities. We welcome thoughtful questions about the animals and their care.

Please follow all posted rules for the safety of the animals and fellow visitors.