Tombstone sets fur flying

A tombstone commemorating a dead dog in the US has got some people barking mad.

Bereaved relatives with loved ones buried nearby feel the name of the dog - engraved on the tombstone - is offensive because it contains a swear word.

The memorial, put up by his owner Judy Hagan in the city cemetery in Uniontown, Kentucky, reads: "In Memory of S**thead".

Adding to the anger of those offended is the fact that the grave lies directly below a flagpole dedicated to veterans.

Attorneys for the city of Uniontown have been researching the law relating to names written on public tombstones. But they have found no law prohibiting animals from being buried in a city cemetery.

Ms Hagan, who is in charge of the cemetery's maintenance, says she sees nothing wrong with her dog's name and does not want to change the stone. She has bought two plots and plans to be buried next to her beloved rat terrier.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

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