This dog died over 100 years ago, and still people remember him – his tombstone is littered with sticks

When a pet passes away, it can be comforting to visit their grave and pay your respects.

Most pets are buried with a simple headstone bearing their name. But a dog named Rex, who found his final resting place more than 100 years ago in Green-Wood Cemetery in New York’s Brooklyn borough, has a grave marker that really catches the eye:

He has his own bronze statue!

This is a great honor, and it’s clear that Rex was well-liked in his day and meant a lot to his family. The owner of the dog is believed to have been John E. Stow, who died in 1884.

But even though Rex and all who knew him are long dead, this dog’s gravesite is still loved by many visitors.

“When it comes to Rex, of course he stands out,” Stacy Locke, Green-Wood Cemetery’s communications manager, told The Dodo.

And now a heartwarming tradition has developed at Rex’s statue: People place sticks in front of it!

For local dog lovers, Rex’s statue has become a shrine of sorts, representative of all dogs, where people go to remember their own deceased pets.

“People put a stick on his little paws,” Stacy said. People even left pictures of their dog who was probably deceased to say “Keep our dog rex”‘

She tells The Dodo that there is another dog statue in the cemetery where it is common for people to leave dog toys.

What a beautiful story! We would love to visit Rex’s grave and leave a stick. This shows the impact an ordinary dog can have, even a century after his death.