A US hillside destination that honours the relationship between humans and their best four-legged friends is marking its 25th anniversary in 2025 and calling for support, after a quarter of a century offering “a pilgrimage place and a sanctuary” where people can “celebrate their beloved pets.”
Dog Mountain is set in rolling countryside above St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where a confluence creates a major watershed of the upper Connecticut River. The park, the brainchild of Vermont folk artist and wood carver Stephen Huneck, occupies 150 acres (around 60 hectares).
In the grounds, which “are always open to people and their dogs” and where leashes are optional, guests can hike trails, swim in ponds, and visit a Dog Chapel, whose walls are covered in thousands of photos and tributes to people’s beloved pets, as well as an art gallery with several of Huneck’s paintings and sculpture.
Late summer and autumn 2025 events include a concert and “Fall Dog Party” promising “leaf-romping, four-legged fun and smiles” as well as agility courses, a “Doggie Walk of Fame”, and a “Pup Pie Eating Race.”
Founder Huneck, who died by suicide in 2010, was motivated to provide animal lovers with a space devoted to their beloved pets. Gallery manager Pam McCann told the Associated Press that after a serious illness, Huneck shared a special bond with his dogs, who feature heavily among black labrador and golden retriever carvings. One of his canine friends, Sally, beams from a stained-glass window where glass hands pet her for eternity.
One visitor commented on the “breathtaking” display of homages, which represent “a lot of love when you think about each picture that’s here.” McCann agreed with that sentiment, saying that the park is for “people who really care and people who are very connected to everything around them,” she said. “Including the animals that they are the guardians of.”
Dog Mountain has been undergoing two major projects in 2025, its website says: “restoring the beloved Dog Pond after last summer’s devastating floods and renovating our trails to make them more accessible, sustainable, and resilient.”
Board member and supporter, Terry Buchmiller, said in a statement that called for donations to “ensure Dog Mountain remains a place of joy and healing for dogs and their people.” Describing Dog Mountain as a place “where I’ve laughed, cried, and felt deeply connected to something bigger than myself,” Buchmiller added: “This is more than a beloved sanctuary for dogs, it’s a living piece of art and joy. Together we can ensure it’s here, and thriving, for generations to come.”
