10 Famous Dogs in History
Dogs are loved the world over and are rightfully considered man’s best friend. We give you some of the dogs that have earned their special place in history.
1. Hachiko
Well, you cannot find a more loyal dog than this adorable pooch. Hidesaburo Ueno, the dog’s human companion, used to daily meet Hachiko after work at Toyko’s Shibuya station. One day, Ueno suddenly passed away and could never return to the train station. In a touching display of loyalty, Hachiko waited for Ueno at the train station for nine long years, right till his own death!
2. Laika
The Astro-dog was the first one to be sent to space by Russians aboard the Sputnik II. Even though the people at the Russian space program sent enough food in the spacecraft to feed Laika for a week, the dog never made it back to earth. This heart-breaking experiment changed the ethics of the space program for better.
3. Charlie
President John F. Kennedy was an avid dog lover and his Welsh terrier, Charlie could be credited with changing the course of the Cuban missile crisis. At the height of the crisis, the President asked for Charlie to be brought to the tense and nervous War Room. Those who were with him that day observed that petting the dog who sat on Kennedy’s lap, seemed to relax the President. As everyone waited for the President’s command, the decisions that he made on that day changed the course of history and de-escalated the conflict.
4. Balto & Togo
Famously known as the dogs who saved a village, Balto and Togo came out as heroes when the small village of Nome, Alaska was threatened by an outbreak of diphtheria. Since the highly contagious nature of the crisis made it extremely difficult to send medical help, it was decided that a team of dogs would be used to send the medicine. Lead by Balto and Togo, the team covered 674 miles in just five and half days and gave the village a chance at survival.
5. Apollo
Just 15 minutes after the planes hit the World Trade Center on that fateful day of September 11, 2001, Apollo along with 300 other dogs, saved as many people as they could from the rubble. A member of the New York City Police Department K9 Unit, Apollo’s role in searching for signs for life has an important place in history.
