Mile Marker 84: Pet Cemeteries

In this episode we talk about a couple Pet Cemeteries that we found in Nevada plus a little background on a famous canine everyone has heard the name of.

Transcript

Key: Drifter, Male voice. Gypsie, Female voice

Uplifting rock/western tune plays for 15 seconds, music begins to taper down then:

(Drifter) Welcome to the Rebel At Large Adventure Podcast. I’m Drifter

(Gypsie) And I’m  Gypsie

(Drifter) Talking about Ghost towns,

(Gypsie) Graveyards,

(Drifter) Outlaws, Heroes

(Gypsie) And Ladies of the night.

Music tapers to an end

(Drifter) Howdy folks, Thanks for joining us for yet another adventure. In this episode we talk about some resting places we’ve visited, places full of love, sadness and designed for our furry counterparts that for some of us make life worth living. 

(Gypsie) Losing a loved one can be very difficult and that includes losing a pet. A lot of people, including us, treat their pets like family members and when they cross over the rainbow bridge, the next process is what to do with them when they pass. A couple years back we went to Las Vegas to stop at two pet cemeteries. The first one we want to talk about is called Craig Road Pet Cemetery and is located at 7450 W. Craig Road. The cemetery provides a resting place for over 1000 pets as well as over 300 humans. It opened in 1972 and just recently was bought out by a Canadian based pet cemetery company called Gateway. 

(Drifter) The cemetery looks very similar to a cemetery for humans with headstones in the ground and large elaborate above ground markers. However, if you stop to read the headstones you will find names on them like Mitzi, Patches, Buddy, Dusty, and Radar. 

They even have a chapel where you can hold a funeral service for your pet but the chapel is barely big enough to hold a small casket and a chair. They also offer a place for you to store cremated remains of your pets in a mausoleum.  

(Gypsie) The cemetery also offers cremation services for your pets. They have five different sizes of cremation chambers with the largest one in the country that can fit an elephant. A lot of people use this service so they can keep their pets with them and then have their pets buried with them when they pass away. Several famous people have even brought their pets here to be cremated like Nicolas Cage, Jerry Lewis, and George Burns. 

(Drifter) Siegfried and Roy the famous tiger and lion trainers had all their cats cremated here. On May 8, 2020 Roy Horn passed away due to Covid-19 in Las Vegas. Then on January 13, 2021 Siegfried Fischbacher passed away from Pancreatic Cancer. Both men were cremated like their cats and all of them are now resting together. Some sources say they are in Germany while others say they are still in Las Vegas. Speaking of famous people, Snoop Dog even had his dog buried here under a fictitious name. 

(Gypsie) Several people have placed pictures of their pets on their headstones, and as we wandered around we noticed a lot of dogs and cats. They also have a section for horses. Some of the horses have been cremated and then the remains buried while others have buried their horses in a special vault made just to fit a horse of course. The cemetery even offers a service to pick up the horse and bring it to the cemetery if the family is unable to bring it to them. 

(Drifter) The largest and most unique animal that was laid to rest here was Stoney the Elephant. In September 1994, 22 year old Stoney was practicing a one foot stand that was going to be performed in the Winds of Gods show at the Luxor Hotel. Unfortunately he injured his hamstring in his left back leg and he was unable to perform. For the next year Stoney was kept at the hotel in a large storage facility while the staff figured out what to do for him. On the day of his transportation he was too weak to stand on his own and when he attempted it he damaged his hamstring in his right back leg. On August 28, 1995 he passed away. 

(Gypsie) That same day Stoney was transported to the cemetery where a 20 foot deep hole was dug. His 7,000 pound body was laid to rest and if you look closely by the tree next to his headstone you can see a bump in the ground. He has a simple in ground headstone with a picture of an elephant that reads, In loving memory of Stoney a gentle giant. 

(Drifter) The cemetery also has a section for the K-9 dogs that passed away in the line of duty or from old age. On March 31, 2016 K9 Nicky was sent with his owner to an area where shots had been fired. Nicky was deployed as the officers attempted to apprehend the suspect. The man started to fire upon the officers as well as Nicky. Nicky was able to bite the suspect, but was unfortunately shot in the process, killing him. Nicky was a 8 year old Belgian Malinois that had been working as a K9 for 5 years and 6 months. He had just returned to work after recovering from a machete wound he received in February 2015. 

(Gypsie) His funeral was one of the largest K9 services the cemetery had ever held. His body was placed in a small casket and on display for everyone to pay their respect in the chapel. There were so many law enforcement personnel that Craig Road was shut down for a short while. He was laid to rest next to 92 other K9s that put their lives on the line. 

(Drifter) The new owners of the cemetery are no longer allowing human remains to be placed in the cemetery. So unfortunately if you want to be buried with your pets, they will need to be cremated and laid to rest with you in another cemetery. They don’t have a lot of humans buried there but it's sad to think that those who have pets there and wanted to be by them can no longer join them in the same cemetery. 

(Gypsie) The next pet cemetery we want to share with you is just 8 miles south of Boulder City, Nevada and north of Searchlight. Off the side of the Veterans Memorial Highway is a rather interesting and unique pet cemetery. There is no grand entrance to this cemetery nor is there much marking that it even exists, we almost missed it when we were looking for it ourselves. This area is in the dry desert ground with no large trees for shade and no green grass. As you explore the area you can hear the cars flying by on the highway and you need to keep your eyes out for rattlesnakes. The name of the cemetery is El Dorado Valley Pet Cemetery. 

(Drifter) We found this cemetery when we came across an article written by the Reno Gazette Journal published on December 13, 2020. (Gypsie) They talked about how the cemetery started in the 1950’s quoting a Boulder City resident by the name of Emory Lockette saying quote (Drifter) “One night we were at Marwood’s house and were drinking, and Marwood said some person had had a dog that died and they were just burying ‘em in the backyard of this place and that place, and some guy came up and said, ‘Marwood why don’t you start a cemetery or something?’” 

(Gypsie) Marwood Doud worked for the Bureau of Reclamation as well as a City advisory council. For a while, Boulder City did not have a trained veterinarian but Marwood practiced veterinary medicine. The town folk would take their sick and wounded pets to him for care until a licensed veterinarian came to town. Emory Lockette worked with Marwood at the Bureau of Reclamation. After a night of drinks the two of them thought it would be a great idea to create a pet cemetery. 

(Drifter) They selected an area that is about four miles south of Railroad Pass just off an unmarked access road near a dry lakebed. Within a few years the area was filling up with headstones and cribs marking the resting spot for peoples pets who had crossed over the rainbow bridge. At first it was just the folks from the Boulder area using this location as a pet cemetery but soon word got around and people from as far as Las Vegas were coming to lay their pets to rest in the area. 

(Gypsie) For a small fee Emory would provide your pet a proper burial. He would build your pet a casket, and then place white fencing around the grave marking the location. He charged 25 dollars for a small dog and 35 dollars for a large dog. After the pet was laid to rest he would take the family out to show them where the pet was and help them place a marker. 

(Drifter) Today the cemetery still shows signs of what it once looked like. You can see the fencing that was built around each one of the graves, there are crosses marking graves and some of them still have names on them. Some graves have elaborate headstones that are made of tiles and cement, while one grave has a dog house on top of it. Around the area you can find stuffed animals and dog toys people have left behind, as well as water dishes. Part of the cemetery looks to be newer with metal fences around the graves. 

(Gypsie) Problems started to arise with the cemetery when it was discovered that the land it was on belonged to the federal government. There was a time when they tried to lobby the federal government to legitimize the cemetery but nothing ever came of it. In 1976 the State of Nevada wanted the area cleared and asked the Bureau of Land Management to take care of it. A group of local citizens formed the Incorporated Desert Pet Cemetery Association and were able to fight against the removal of the graves. 

(Drifter) In 1995 Boulder City purchased the Eldorado Valley and roughly 85,000 acres were designated as the Desert Tortoise Habitat. That included the pet cemetery area, this meant that there were no more burials allowed in the area. There has since been signs placed up all over that say stop, pet burials prohibited. But burials are still happening, maybe not as frequent but we saw some headstones that had dates on them from 2015

(Gypsie) Some people believe the cemetery started back in the 1930’s and that the mafia used the area to bury the people they killed. Not likely, but that makes for a fun story. We like to believe that Marwood Doud and Emory Lockette started the cemetery to provide a place for people to lay their pets to rest and give them a place where they would not be disturbed.  

(Drifter) We spent a few hours walking around the area and reading what was left of the headstones. You couldn’t help but feel love for the people that had lost their pets. We also made sure to find the resting place for Flash, the son of Rin Tin Tin jr. Rin Tin Tin Sr was an actor who starred in several films in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He even had his own radio show, the Wonder Dog in 1930 and he did his own sound effects for the show. 

(Gypsie) Rin Tin Tin Jr. also starred in several movies such as The Law of the Wild, and The adventure of Rex and Rinty. I tried to find out if Flash had starred in any shows and if he really was related to Rin Tin Tin but I was unable to find anything. Flash’s headstone reads Flash son of Rin Tin Tin IV, lived a life of loyalty and friendship February 25, 1957 to December 15, 1966. 

(Drifter) If you ever get the chance, its well worth the time to stop and see the cemetery. There are solar panel fields popping up all over the area and it makes us wonder how long the cemetery will still be there and if there are still people fighting to preserve the memory of the sweet pets that passed on.  

(Gypsie) Since we have been talking about pet cemeteries we figured we would share with you a dog that we visited that has a resting place in one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Los Angeles California. (Drifter) This dog is most commonly known as Toto and she has a special place in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.  She has an awesome headstone that is made of a granite base and a bronze statue of her on top. (Gypsie) It reads in Memory of TOTO on one side. On the other side it reads, "We give you this new home 53 years later, as “There’s no place like home” Rest in Peace, Dear friend. The toto memorial committee Myers Steve Goldstein FixNation June 18, 2011. 

(Drifter) Toto’s real name is Terry. She was born in 1933 in Alta Dena, California. A married couple living in Pasadena adopted her but they had a very difficult time potty training her. They reached out to dog trainer Carl Spitz to see if he could help them. Carl ran a Hollywood Dog Training School and most of the dogs he worked with were for the movies but he decided to take Terry and see if he could help the couple out. 

(Gypsie) Carl Spitz was born in Germany and got all his knowledge of dog training when he worked during World War 1  training military and police dogs. He emigrated to the United States in 1926 where he opened the Hollywood Dog Training School. It was his dog Buck, the St. Bernard, who starred in the film Call of the Wild with Clark Gable. Carl had a very unique way of training the dogs, rather than yelling out commands he trained them to respond to hand signals and head movements. This was very important as Hollywood was introducing talkies, they couldn’t have a dog trainer on set yelling out commands to the dogs. 

(Drifter) Once Terry was all trained up and ready to go home the couple no longer wanted her and they refused to pay Carl for his services. Carl was now stuck with this little Cairn Terrier and unsure of what to do with her. Over time Terry worked her way into the hearts of the family and it was decided they would keep her. Since Carl worked with Hollywood on the movies he decided to audition Terry for a film role. 

(Gypsie) In 1934 Terry starred in her first film, Ready for Love. The film was based on the 1930 novel, The Whipping, by Roy Flanagan. That same year Carl took her to audition for the film Bright Eyes starring Shirley Temple. Terry made it through the audition and was sent to perform the final task, seeing how well she performed with Shirley’s own dog. When Terry was introduced to Ching-Ching the Pomeranian the two dogs hit it off and Shirley said Terry was hired for the movie. She played Rags in the film. 

(Drifter) Over the next 5 years Terry starred in five more films until she got her big break in the Wizard of Oz. In order to get Terry ready for her audition, Carl read the book to learn everything about Toto and the role the dog played. Carl worked with Terry on more hand signals as well as practiced with her at chasing witches. Terry played Toto flawlessly, she was Dorthy’s faithful and loyal companion throughout the entire movie. It was Toto that made Dorthy miss her chance at getting into the storm cellar when the tornado came into town, and it was Toto that unmasked the wizard behind the curtain. (Gypsie) By the way, Toto was a male dog in the book but Terry was such a perfect fit that the directors didn’t care. 

(Drifter) During the filming, one of the actors stepped on Terry’s foot and broke it. (Gypsie) They had another dog step in and cover for Terry. She spent the next few weeks at Judy Garland’s house recovering. It was during this time that Judy grew to love Terry. After the filming of Wizard of the Oz Judy asked Carl if she could buy Terry from him but he declined the offer. During this time Terry was being paid 125 dollars a week and was making more money than many of the human actors. ($2750 today) He was not about to let her go.  

(Drifter) The same year Wizard of Oz hit the big screen, Terry had two other films in the theater that she starred in. All three were playing at the same time. There was The Women where she starred as the Fighting Dog at Beauty Shop, as well as Bad Little Angel where she starred as Rex. Terry did all her own stunts and was chosen over and over again to star in films. But Wizard of Oz was the most watched film of all time, Terry became more popular and was soon known as Toto. 

(Gypsie) She went on to star in 13 more films making a total of 17 films. She lived to be 11 years old before she passed away in Hollywood on September 1, 1945. The last film she acted in was Easy to Look At that was released three weeks before she passed away. The second to last film she was in was Adventures of Rusty and it was released 5 days after she passed away. Terry won America over when she played Toto and was deeply missed when she passed away. (Drifter) She was laid to rest at Spitz Ranch in Studio City, Los Angeles. 

(Gypsie) But wait, we told you we saw her headstone in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. (Drifter) That is correct, in 1958 Carl’s land was destroyed when the state of California started construction on the Ventura Freeway. What we didn’t tell you was that on the other side of the headstone it reads (Gypsie) "This monument is dedicated to the memory of the beloved Toto from the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz.” After the death of Toto, originally named Terry, in 1945, Owner and trainer Carl Spitz buried the Cairn Terrier on his ranch in Studio City. The 1958 construction of the Ventura Freeway destroyed her resting place.”

(Drifter) If you remember when Judy Garland passed away on June 22, 1969 she was laid to rest at the Ferncliff Cemetery, then in 2017 she was re-interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. (Gypsie) We talked about Judy in episode 52. (Drifter) Her resting spot is not far from the Toto monument that was placed in June 2011. Terry’s legacy in Hollywood continued after her passing when one of her puppies named Rommy went on to star in Reap of the Wild Wind and Air Force. 

(Gypsie) Inside the Craig Road pet cemetery there is a large monument with the rainbow bridge poem inscribed on it. We want to end this episode with that poem but before we read it we want to talk about the poem. I recently came across an article written by Paul Koudrounaris where he was able to discover the author of the poem, her name is Edna Clyne. Several people have claimed to be the author but Edna has the original handwritten copy with her. She wrote the poem in 1959 while living in Scotland. She had just recently lost her dog Major and was overcome with the feeling to write her thoughts down. Over time she began to share it with friends who then shared it with their friends. The original poem reads; 

(Drifter) Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, your pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who have been ill and old are restored to health and strength, those who were hurt are made better and strong again, like we remember them before they go to heaven. They are happy and content except for one small thing, they each miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance, his bright eyes are shining, his body shakes. Suddenly he begins to run from the herd, rushing over the grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster, and when you and your special friends finally meet, you cuddle in a happy hug never to be apart again. You and your pet are in tears. Your hands again cuddle his head and you look again into his trusting eyes, so long gone from life, but never absent from your heart, and then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together. 

(Drifter) Alright folks, I believe that wraps up our pet cemeteries episode. That one was a bit sad, do you have a dad joke to end the episode with?

(Gypsie) I do. One of our listeners, Theresa, sent over a link to the Doc Tok guys & I pulled this one from them. It was fitting as you were finishing editing when you read her message. 

(Gypsie) My wife asked if i’ve seen the dog bowl, i said i never knew he did.

(Drifter) Alright then. Thank you all so very much for joining us and supporting the Rebel At Large adventure podcast. As alway’s, if we're active at all, we’re most active on the Instagram (Gypsie) @rebelatlarge. You can find links to our email, patreon, merch store in the show notes and on any of our social deals. (Drifter) We’ll talk to ya here in a couple of weeks, (Gypsie) Safe Travels, (Drifter) We’ll see ya down the road.

Begin 30 seconds of the same uplifting Rock/Western tune as the introduction.

So we didnt talk about the Pet Semetary by Stephen King. Have you read the book? I’ve read the book and i believe we own both adaptations of the movie. The book was published in 1983, the first film in 1989 and the second in 2019. The inspirations for the book came from a few real life events. He wrote the book in 1979 while serving as a Writer In Residence at the University of Maine. He and his family rented a house about 12 miles away from the University. The house was on a busy road, as in the story, which also saw a lot of Semi traffic, also as in the story. His daughter had a cat named Smucky that was killed on the road and was found by King. This led to the awkward conversation about death, another thing captured in the story. There was a makeshift pet cemetery nearby, i’ve read that it was spelled the way King titles his story (Sematary). Smucky was buried here. There was also an instance when King had to pull his son Owen out of the road to avoid getting hit, another part of the story. King said the book scared the shit out of him so bad he put it in a drawer, never intending for it to be published however released the book to fulfill a publishing contract he wanted out of.