Sneha Shrestha Performs Respectful Funeral for Pig Following Its Passing

While it is common to hear about respectful funerals being held for animals like dogs, cats, and horses, this may be the first time in Nepal that a pig has been given such a dignified farewell. Sneha Shrestha, a vegetarian and animal rights activist living in Kathmandu, conducted the funeral after the passing of her pet pig, Carlott, on Sunday. Sneha expressed that she never regarded the pig merely as an animal but loved Carlott as if she were her own child. She even compared the pig to a daughter, expressing a maternal bond.

Sneha rescued Carlott from a farm in 2019, describing that day as one of the happiest of her life. However, Carlott’s death on Sunday left her feeling that the world had turned dark. On social media, she shared her emotions surrounding Carlott’s passing: “I cared for Carlott for seven years. Each morning, I was in the habit of looking at Carlott. But today, that space is empty, and it has broken my heart. Many criticized me—why raise a pig? Some despised the breed, calling it dirty and mud-dwelling. But to me, it was simply a species of love. Love transcends species, color, appearance, or names. Today, as I write tears in your memory, many will laugh or comment on how much I am crying. But that doesn’t affect me,” she wrote.

Carlott was like family to her, selflessly loving and devoted, she said. “I have thousands of memories, photographs, and seven invaluable years filled with your love and care. Yet all these memories make me cry even more today,” she added. Sneha also expressed a wish for Carlott to return to her family in the next life.