Fri Jul 12, 7:44 AM ET
A man loved his drug-sniffing dog so much that he decided they should remain together after death — at a pet cemetery.
The cremated remains of Jim Crovetti and his Rottweiler, Lady, are buried in separate urns at the Loving Rest Pet Cemetery in Warren County, about 10 miles south of Des Moines, in a section dedicated to service animals.
Crovetti and Lady worked for nine years with police in southern Iowa and northern Missouri to investigate illegal drugs and present anti-drug programs at schools.
Nancy Crovetti, Jim's widow, said she knew people might question burying a man in a pet cemetery, but it was her husband's wish.
"It is a beautiful spot," she said. "When I go there, I remember the good times when I had them both. For them to be together forever gives me comfort."
She said her husband and Lady spent thousands of hours teaching kids about drugs with the program he created called "Keep Your Paws Off Drugs."
"The morning Lady died, I thought I would lose Jim that same day. Lady and Jim were so close. The bond between them was phenomenal. They were always together," she said.
Jim Crovetti died of a heart attack in November 2000, less than six months after Lady died. He was 69.
Nancy Crovetti said she plans to be buried with her dog, Kahlua.
"I want our headstone next to Jim's and Lady's," she said. "I guess some people do think it is odd, but those animals were a big part of our lives."
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