This is the story of Bobbie, the remarkable dog from America who traveled 2,551 miles from Indiana to return to his owner in the city of Silverton.
His story began in 1923 when he was somehow separated from his owners on a family road trip and got lost. They looked for him everywhere, and after an unsuccessful search, they started to accept the fact that they would never see their beloved dog again.
However, six months later, Bobbie appeared, scratching at their front door. Although exhausted from his long trek, he had succeeded in returning home safely. Bobbie had passed mountains and traversed deserts over that winter as he traveled across the United States, with the wish to see his family being stronger than the pain and suffering he must have endured.
The word of Bobbie’s “Odyssey” quickly spread and the loyal dog soon became an attraction. He received hundreds of letters with gifts from people from all around the world that admired his bravery and invited him to their cities.
The “furry” hero became an inspiration for many films and books, becoming known as Bobbie the Wonder Dog. The remarkable Scotch Collie/English Shepherd mix has even played himself in the silent film ‘The Call of the West’, made in 1924.
Unfortunately, the courageous wonder dog died in 1927 and was buried at the Oregon Humane Society’s pet cemetery in Portland. The grave of Bobbie is sheltered by a beautiful white and red dog house and the gravestone has been moved outside the house for better viewing. Not surprisingly, his resting place became an attraction for tourists too.
After his death, a pet parade was held in his honor, and that parade passed into an event that’s now been held for years. What’s most touching and interesting about this parade is that the son of Bobbie, Pal, led the first parade. People organized it to remind people that, often, animals truly are our best friends because of their unconditional love and loyalty.
Some of Bobbie’s fans considered his burial in another city as unacceptable and improper. Due to their reaction, a movement was started by a group of Silverton’s citizens whose goal was to bring back Bobbie where he belonged, his hometown Silverton.