Hachiko, an Akita dog waited at the Shibuya Station in Tokyo, Japan, for his owner, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, to return each day from the University of Tokyo. On May 21, 1925, Hachiko waited to greet the professor, but he did not return. He had died that day at work.
Hachiko, eighteen-months-old, lived now with new owners. But every day, he waited in the same spot at the Shibuya Station for Professor Ueno to arrive by train. He waited for over nine years.
In 1932, one of Professor Ueno’s former students, Hirokichi Saito, learned about Hachiko. He wrote articles about the dog’s loyalty to the professor. When a Tokyo newspaper published one article, Japanese children and adults read about the faithful dog. They brought him treats and petted him while he waited at the station.
In April 1934, Hachiko watched the unveiling of a statue erected at Shibuya Station — a statue of him. He died on March 8, 1935. His grave sits beside that of Professor Ueno. He is known in Japan as chuken Hachiko meaning faithful dog. On April 8th each year a ceremony is held at Shibuya Station to honor him.
Hachiko’s statue at Shibuya Station, a favorite meeting spot
A second statue replaced the original one, melted down during WWII. The son of the original artist designed the statue that stands today. A third statue was dedicated at the University of Toyko on March 8, 2015, the 80th anniversary of Hachiko’s death. It shows Hachiko greeting Professor Ueno — together again.
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President Franklin Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, Fala, appeared in newspaper photos around the world. He was so well-known that the Secret Service gave him the code name “The Informer.” When people spotted him,they knew the president was close by. Fala traveled everywhere with the president by ship, train, and car.
Posing for photographers
Fala was born on April 7, 1940. A gift to President Roosevelt, he moved into the White House in November that year. The president named him Murray the Outlaw of Falahill after a Scottish ancestor. But the puppy was too small for such a big name. The president immediately shortened it.
An exceptionally friendly dog, Fala received lots of attention. He liked to show off his tricks to White House visitors: rolling over, jumping up, speaking, lying down, and his favorite, begging. But he never let the attention go to his head. He was a down-to-earth dog.
Fala liked to dig holes in the White House lawn, burying and digging up his bones. And he was always ready to chase the White House squirrels. At night, he slept beside the president’s bed. In the morning he enjoyed a dog biscuit when the president ate his breakfast.
He received lots of fan mail, especially from children. He starred in two short films produced by MGM. His biography, The True Story of Fala was published when he was only two years old. He was also named an honorary army private. And he was given the title President of Barkers for Britain. He had campaigned to have American dog owners donate money to help the British people in World War II.
At Hyde Park with the president and a caretaker’s daughter
Fala died on April 5, 1952. He is buried in the rose garden at Hyde Park. In 1997, a memorial to President Roosevelt was dedicated near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. A statue of Fala is forever at President Roosevelt’s side.
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.
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Hachiko’s statue at Shibuya Station, a favorite meeting spot
