For the Dogs - Coastal Canine Magazine

y Pam Bonsper
Photo Courtesy of National Postal Museum
Owney was a mutt—a terrier mix. He lived
around 120 years ago and you can go
see him anytime. He is one of the most
famous dogs in the world. He recently
had a major makeover and is looking better than ever.
He will become more famous and more valuable with
age (like an old wine, he will just improve). He will last
forever—the U.S. Post Office has just issued a Forever
stamp with Owney, in profile, surrounded by many of
his tags and medals.
carried mail back and forth throughout the forty-eight
states. Owney, a spunky little stray dog who hung out
at a post office in Albany, New York, loved to sit on the
mail bags and watch the clerks work. He must have
really loved those mail bags because he’d jump into
the wagons that took the bags to the trains. He must
have really, really loved those mail bags because he
started traveling with them on the rails. As the trains
jerked along, the railway mail clerks opened and sorted
the mail, and Owney— in the midst of his beloved
It’s a true story, all right. And it starts back when trains
Photo Courtesy of National Postal Museum
24 coastalcaninemag.com • fall 2011