Bobbie the Wonder Dog (1921–1927) was a dog who covered on his own to return home to
Silverton, Oregon
Silverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. The city is situated along the 45th parallel about northeast of Salem, in the eastern margins of the broad alluvial plain of the Willamette Valley. The city is named after Silver Cre ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, after he was lost while his owners were visiting family in
Wolcott, Indiana
Wolcott ( ) is a town in Princeton Township, White County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,001 at the 2010 census.
History
Wolcott was platted in 1861 when the railroad was extended to that point and is named after its founder ...
.
Ripley's
''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' feat ...
estimated the journey may have been as long as .
Background
In August 1923, Frank and Elizabeth Brazier, with their daughters Leona and Nova, were visiting relatives in
Wolcott, Indiana
Wolcott ( ) is a town in Princeton Township, White County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,001 at the 2010 census.
History
Wolcott was platted in 1861 when the railroad was extended to that point and is named after its founder ...
. Their two-year-old
Scotch Collie
The Rough Collie (also known as the Long-Haired Collie) is a long-coated dog breed of medium to large size that, in its original form, was a type of collie used and bred for herding sheep in Scotland. More recent breeding has focused on the Co ...
/
English Shepherd mix dog Bobbie was attacked by three other dogs and ran away. After an exhaustive search, the heartbroken Brazier family were unable to find Bobbie and continued their trip before returning home to Oregon, expecting never to see their dog again.
Journey home
In February 1924, six months later, Bobbie returned to Silverton mangy, dirty, and scrawny, with his toenails worn down to nothing. He showed all the signs of having walked the entire distance, including swimming rivers and crossing the
Continental Divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...
during the coldest part of winter.
During his ordeal, he crossed at least of plains, desert, and mountains in the winter to return home, an average of approximately per day. After his return to Silverton, he experienced a meteoric rise to fame. His story drew national attention and was featured in numerous newspapers.
[
He was the subject of newspaper articles including '']Ripley's Believe It or Not!
''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' feat ...
'', books, and film. Bobbie played himself in the 1924 silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
''The Call of the West''.[ He received hundreds of letters from people around the world and was honored with a jewel-studded harness and collar, ribbons, and keys to cities.][
People who had fed and sheltered Bobbie on his journey wrote the family to tell about their time with Bobbie. The Humane Society of Portland was able to use these stories to assemble a relatively precise description of the route Bobbie took.][John, Finn J.D.]
“Wonder Dog’s” 2,500-mile odyssey put Silverton on the map
January 2, 2011 offbeatoregon.com
The humane society concluded that after returning to Wolcott and unable to find his owners, Bobbie initially followed their further travels into northeast Indiana. He then struck out in several directions, apparently seeking their scent. He eventually headed west.[
During their original trip, the Braziers had parked their car in a service station each night. Their dog visited each of these stops on his journey, along with a number of homes, and a homeless camp.][
In Portland, an Irish woman took care of him for a period of time, helping him recover from serious injuries to his legs and paws.][
]
Death and legacy
Upon his death in 1927, he was buried with honors at the Oregon Humane Society's pet cemetery
A pet cemetery is a cemetery for pets.
History
Many human cultures buried animal remains. For example, the Ancient Egyptians mummified and buried cats, which they considered deities, and the largest known dog cemetery in the ancient wo ...
in Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
. A week later, German Shepherd film star Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin or Rin-Tin-Tin (September 1918 – August 10, 1932) was a male German Shepherd born in Flirey, France, who became an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, L ...
laid a wreath at his grave.[ His grave is sheltered by a "fancy white and red dog house" received during a promotional appearance at the Portland Home Show.] The gravestone has been moved outside the house for better viewing.
Bobbie's demonstration of loyalty is celebrated during Silverton's annual children's pet parade that serves as a reminder of the special place animals and pets have in people's lives. The event was started several years after Bobbie's death and the first parade was led by his son, Pal. A outdoor painting featuring Bobbie's story is part of a series of murals that decorate the walls of businesses in Silverton.
In late 2012, responding to public sentiment that his burial location in Portland did not properly honor his story and his connection to his hometown, a grassroots movement was started by a group of Silvertonians with the goal of repatriating Bobbie's remains to Silverton, for reburial and memorialization.Bring Bobbie Home
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See also
* List of individual dogs
This is a list of individual famous actual dogs; for famous dogs from fiction, see List of fictional dogs.
Actors
Advertising
* Axelrod, Basset Hound, appeared in commercials and print ads for Flying "A" Service Station advertisements in ...
Notes
References
Further reading
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External links
Detail of Silverton Bobbie mural
from Susan Stelljes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bobbie The Wonder Dog
1921 animal births
1927 animal deaths
Individual animals in the United States
Individual dogs
Missing or escaped animals
Oregon culture
Silverton, Oregon