Aspin Hill Memorial Park

About Aspin Hill Memorial Park

Aspin Hill Memorial Park has stood as a place of remembrance for over a century. Established in 1920 when the owners of a private dog kennel began interring pets on their eight-acre property along Georgia Avenue in Aspen Hill, Maryland, the park has grown into one of the oldest and most historically significant pet cemeteries in the United States. The name "Aspin" traces to a dog kennel in England, distinguishing the cemetery's spelling from the surrounding Aspen Hill neighborhood. The Montgomery County Humane Society (MCHS) has owned and cared for the property since 2007, when it was gifted by Mrs. Dorothy Shapiro with a vision of transforming it into a unique animal welfare resource for the community.

The six-acre cemetery portion is open to the public year-round and is the final resting place for more than 50,000 pets — including animal celebrities, stars of movies and television, and pets belonging to a U.S. president — as well as approximately 55 humans buried alongside their animal companions. The entire property is listed on the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties and is considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. MCHS is actively planning to develop the site into a broader animal welfare campus, including its headquarters, animal adoption services, and humane education programming. No new burial plots are currently available.

Services Offered

Aspin Hill Memorial Park provides the following to families in the Silver Spring, Maryland area:

• Historic Pet Cemetery (public access, year-round)
• Perpetual Care of 50,000+ Existing Burial Lots
• Grounds Open for Visitation (dusk to dawn hours)

What to Expect

Aspin Hill Memorial Park at 13630 Georgia Avenue is open to the public throughout the year, providing a quiet and historically meaningful space for families with pets already buried on the grounds. Leashed dogs are welcome, and visitors are asked to follow the park's guidelines — fresh cut flowers may be left, though ceramic, glass, metal, resin, or rock decorations are prohibited for the safety of staff and landscapers. Seasonal decorations are permitted during Memorial Day, and holiday decorations are allowed from December 1 through March 1. For inquiries about the park, contact the Montgomery County Humane Society at (301) 598-7177.