Fears have been raised over the future of a beloved seaside cemetery for creatures great and small.
Stephen Findlay, 77, has been tending to plots at Cullen’s pet cemetery for almost 25 years, creating a lasting tribute for hundreds of family companions.
The coastal site has expanded to almost an acre in size and though it mainly inters family pets, seals and dolphins washed ashore nearby have also been offered a final resting place there.
But now landowners Seafield Estates have accused Mr Findlay of “encroaching” the agreed boundaries of the pet cemetery, and have warned against further expansion.
The group maintains the pensioner has been burying pets in areas he is not permitted to, but Mr Findlay insists that only decorative stonework has exceeded the cemetery’s borders.
More than 1,000 people have now signed a petition backing Mr Findlay’s efforts amid fears that any further restrictions or disputes could threaten the future of the burial site.
Mr Findlay – said: “The area that Seafield Estates has brought into dispute is just a few feet worth of borders, which they want filled in with grass.
“I can’t understand why they are bothered about the land as there’s nothing else that can be done with it – it’s just a patch of wild grass.
“I had no intention of burying anything in those spaces.”
Seafield Estates’ property director, Andrew Norval, said: “We have leased this area to Mr Findlay since 1995, and have met him regularly to discuss work there.
“At the most recent meeting it was noted that burials had been taking place outside the defined area, while some ground within the cemetery remained unused.
“It was agreed that burials would meantime take place in this unused part of the site, and that he would also carry out some reinstatement to areas of outside land that had been disturbed.
“We recognise the importance of this site to the community and visitors, and will continue to work with Mr Findlay to manage the cemetery.”
Mr Findlay was also ordered to remove heavy slabs of concrete judged to overlap his defined boundary, and was told that unused land in the grounds was “sufficiently large to cope with realistic future demand”.
The retired bin man has complied with the estate’s demands and has removed piles of rocks from the grounds and dumped them by the seafront.
“I hope that keeps them satisfied, but I worry they may try to impose more restrictions”, he added.
The pet cemetery began after local doctor Susan Morrison asked Mr Findlay to bury her pet spaniel in 1992.
The community stalwart later buried his own Alsation, Bruce, at a nearby spot and the cemetery “gradually took off” from there.
The burial ground is based along a stretch of seafront east of the village’s harbour, and is sheltered by an overlooking brae.
Last year, one cat owner even froze her cat until she could make the 500-mile trip from Birmingham to bury it in the iconic spot.
1,000 sign petition of support
Cullen residents yesterday launched a petition to support gravedigger Steven Findlay during his dispute with Seafield Estates.
Within hours of going online, the campaign attracted more than 1,000 signatures.
Barman Joe Simpson, who works at the village’s Grant Arms Hotel, launched petition after hearing the site could be in jeopardy.
Mr Simpson said: “People in Cullen feel pretty strongly about the pet cemetery, and it’s very popular with tourists too.
“The three things visitors here talk about is Cullen Skink, our ice cream and the pet cemetery.”
He added: “Last year our Labrador-collie cross Jake died and he was buried at the cemetery.
“Mr Findlay was very kind to us, and Jake being buried nearby has been a real comfort to my seven-year-old, Jessica.”
Cullen historian Stan Slater, who regularly walks golden Labrador Alfie past the spot. added: “This was a disused piece of land which has now been given a useful purpose.
“Each of those little stones means a history to a family.”