After moving to a small town in Maine, the Creed family befriends their elderly neighbor who introduces them to a pet cemetery. When their cat is killed, the father buries it in the ancient burial ground, only to have the cat return as an evil version of itself. Later, their toddler son is killed in an accident, leading the father to bury him in the same burial ground. The resurrected son, along with the mother and neighbor, are driven to madness and violence. In the end, the father is stabbed by his undead wife, completing the cycle of tragedy.

In Pet Sematary II, a young boy moves to a new town with his mother, where he discovers a burial ground that can resurrect the dead. As he tries to cope with the recent death of his mother, he becomes entangled in a series of horrifying events involving his abusive stepfather, evil truck driver, and a vengeful spirit. With the help of his best friend and a veterinarian, he must fight to save himself and those he cares about from the terrifying powers of the burial ground.