Mail Dog

I thought it would be nice to end the year with an uplifting post (though it is a bit of a tear jerker too). The story is about a stray Border terrier mix who was adopted by the Albany,NY post office. The abandoned puppy wandered into the back door of the post office seeking shelter on a rainy night in 1888. A postal worker named Owen allowed the pup to make his bed atop the mail bags. When the supervisor asked where they dog came from the workers said he was Owen's dog and he became known as Owney. Owney not only slept on the mail bags he went with them whenever they were moved and wouldn't allow anyone other than postal workers to touch the bags. In this way he started his extensive travels throughout the 48 states and later by steamship to Europe,Asia,North Africa,and the Middle East logging over 143,000 miles in his lifetime (1888-1897). Owney received tags everywhere he went and once his collar was full he was given a jacket by the Postmaster General to display his medals. He reportedly became aggressive as he aged and was shot after biting a clerk in Toledo,Ohio. The postal clerks refused to bury Owney and donations allowed for his remains to be sent for taxidermy. Today Owney is on exhibit at the Smithsonian and was honored on a stamp in 2011.