Paul Koudounaris
A new photography book explores the practice of memorialising beloved beasts, from a performing elephant in Las Vegas to service animals and the world's most loyal sheepdog.
The first time Paul Koudounaris visited Pet Haven Cemetery and Crematory in Gardena, California, the US author, photographer and expert in macabre art history was surprised to find his eyes wet with tears. "After writing three books about death, and not being affected by anything, five hours with those little graves had finally broken me," he tells the BBC. "The sentiment there had become overwhelming.