Why my son and I decided to honor our beloved pet this Día de Muertos

Six months ago, our pet Leo passed away at the age of 12. My son still talks about him in the present tense, as if he is still here. While it sounds a bit weird, I don’t blame him. Leo was here before my son was born. 

Leo was a very friendly, small white poodle, and he had a very funny way of walking, always at an angle and always by the curb. I adopted him in 2019 from a dear friend. He was very energetic and enjoyed going outside. 

This year for Día de Muertos, aside from having photos of loved ones who passed away, my son and I decided to honor Leo by putting him at the top of the altar. Some people may think it is eccentric, but only those who have pets understand the importance they represent.

Día de Muertos is a Mexican tradition that started thousands of years ago. In the 16th Century it was merged with Catholic traditions, making it official to celebrate each Nov. 1 and 2. The first is to honor the souls of children and the second to honor all the other people on All Saints Day. 

As the tradition keeps transcending generations and frontiers, Día de Muertos has expanded and now pets are honored on Oct. 27 of each year. 

In a way this is a sense of comfort for many of us. We are taught that in the Day of the Dead, death does not represent an absence, but rather a living presence. 

It is a symbol of life that takes tangible form on the altar, according to the Mexican Government website. 

Yes, it is true that pets may be expensive and, unfortunately, we can’t claim them on our taxes. But it is also true that they provide us with the most selfless, faithful and unconditional love. 

I can proudly say that both of my dogs were adopted from shelters so getting them was the least expensive part. 

Growing together

I found out I was pregnant in early 2020, right when the COVID-19 pandemic started. It was throughout those months of solitude, uncertainty and constant fear that my two dogs, Sally – a Jack Russell – and my little Leo were there for me; silent, patient, laying on their beds while I was working during the day in my office or laying next to my belly in the evening when it was time to rest.

When my son Andy was born by the end of 2020, both dogs welcomed him home. People couldn’t visit us because of the pandemic, but our pets were always present. 

We would often go for walks around the neighborhood. First, the dogs walked next to the stroller and then next to a little car I would push for Andy as he kept growing. Eventually he got courageous and decided he wanted to hold the leashes. When Andy started riding his three-wheel scooter, he liked to get both leashes and put them on his scooter so the dogs would pull him. 

It was wonderful to see the bond they created and how much they enjoyed each other. 

Pets definitely change your life; they make us more attentive and caring. I wasn’t a big fan of going out for 4th of July celebrations because of my pets. Animal shelters report a spike of more than 30% in lost pets between the 4th and 6th of July. 

I would turn on the AC in the room and turn on the TV on high volume so they wouldn’t hear the strong sound of the fireworks that at times sounded so extreme. 

Saying goodbye 

In Late 2024, Leo started getting sick. I took him to the vet. He was also getting old. They removed some teeth, got his vaccines and he lived ok for about another year. By the beginning of 2026, I saw his health deteriorating and I knew his end was approaching. We took him to the vet again, and then I had to make the most painful decision of any pet owner: put Leo to sleep forever. 

Andy said goodbye to Leo one last time. Leo passed away on May 2 at around 11:25 a.m. We know Leo is not hurting anymore and is in a better place.  

When Andy gets sad because he misses Leo, I tell him he turned into an alebrije that walks the marigold path with other pets to go to heaven. 

While this is just a scene of the popular Pixar movie “Coco”, and alebrijes are just paper maché figurines of animals – not souls of animals – I really appreciate the made-up images we create that help us cope with grief. 

History tells us that Aztecs would believe dogs, especially Xoloitzcuintles, the hairless dogs would guide the souls of humans. And the movie “Coco” did a wonderful merging of the dog Dante with the alebrije story. 

Andy just started kindergarten this semester and I recently took Sally with me to pick him up from school. He was so happy to see her and started telling his friends she was his pet. 

He also added, “I have two dogs; the other one is Leo.” 

I didn't want to correct him in front of the kids. I understand Leo was a big part of my son’s life and he may be gone physically, but his presence is greater than life.