When I found our dog dead at (my) age 20 or so, it was terribly hard on me... we buried him in our back yard and planted a rose bush over him, and for the rest of our time in that house (years), ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, not even grass, would grow over his grave. We had this nice lush tropical yard bursting with plants, with this one ragged patch of desert. I found it comforting, as if the earth were mourning too... Probably just evidence that the neighbors had, indeed and as we suspected, poisoned him.

My thoughts are with you and yoru Mom, Dorrie, this is very sad all around.