New York pet owners have gathered together this holiday season to pay heartfelt and sometimes hilarious tributes to their late dogs, cats, and even turtles. An 18-foot evergreen tree in the Ramble in Central Park has been turned into a pet memorial, covered in photographs and messages. The tradition has lasted for 40 years and runs from Thanksgiving to the second week of January. Nearly all of the photos are laminated to protect them from the elements, and the dates written on most of them mark an animal’s lifespan. Some pictures have been hanging on the tree for decades. The tree is looked upon as a place where pet lovers can heal and celebrate the creatures who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Today there are well over 600 photos and messages on the tree. The Ramble, one of Central Park's three woodland landscapes, stretches across 36 acres in the middle of the park between 73rd and 79th Streets.
