July 2, 2009
Black Dog, RIP July 2, 2009
RIP Black Dog
I just got an unconfirmed report that legendary Black Dog who has roamed the Near West End for years was struck and killed by a car this morning near the intersection of Cary Street Road and Maxwell, just a few blocks west of Mary Munford Elementary.
I am very sad, as I enjoyed hearing all the stories about Black Dog, and his adventurous life, evading animal control officers, and anyone else who tried to capture him. Black Dog was friendly and a free spirit. He could be described as both aloof and illusive. He had such a kind spirit. I never saw him run from anyone, only just disappear.
I’ve been known to drive down the alleys with my kids trying to get a good glimpse of Black Dog as I tell my children the stories of his legendary status. I will miss that. But I’m sure there are many in the Near West End who knew him better and will miss him more.
How many dogs can say they had no owner — but had a fan club on Facebook?
Update, WTVR now confirms, Black Dog is dead.
Pretty sure this dog was owned by a woman on Westmoreland. She just never walked him with a leash and let him roam free.
Black Dog was the noblest of all breeds–the chow chow. As an owner of many chows, past and present, I can attest to their courage, loyalty, and intelligence. I’m glad he is being remembered with abundant love and respect.
black dog was a lovable outlaw, he never came when i called him, thats a real nice picture of him. i hate when dogs get hit by cars
He will be missed.
I never met Black Dog but one of my best friends helped care for him for the last 12 years. He was very loved and had a better life “on the run” than many dogs who are owned by people who have no business doing so. He will be missed and his memory cherished by the neighbors who looked out for him and encouraged his free spirit.
hate to be the only not lovin on this dog, but unvaccinated strays are not cool as rabies is very real in this area, and who knows if the dog was in tact and creating more strays. people in that area hid the dog from animal control thinking they were compassionate and that a.c. didnt have the dogs best interest in mind. ‘encouraging his free spirit’ sounds pretty, but its not cool. none of those people deal with the homeless pet population.
Would like to make a correction to “not so much”. The people in the area certainly didn’t need to hide Black Dog from animal control – he managed that quite well all on his own. Just ask animal control!
Having adopted each and every pet we own (and have owned), as well as donating time and money to several organizations locally, I beg to differ that “none of those people deal with the homeless pet population”.
You are absolutely correct that “unvaccinated strays are not cool”. I do not promote unvaccinated strays, nor do I believe Black Dog’s fans promote it, but there was something special about him. After observing him for over 17 years, it seemed to me he was better off just left alone! Although he had no owner, he had many friends that cared about him.
they couldnt catch black dog, teams of dog catchers, people hid black dog from animal control? Black dog kept everyone at arms length, no one was close to him, he lived off scraps on the street.
i know the dog was tough (near impossible) to catch, and i’ve spent enough time chasing down strays to know how it is. but i also know that if so many people were helping him out over so many years (as posted above), that he could have been caught. its not a magical mystical thing.
i encountered black dog while walking a dog once, and it wasnt fun (my dog was male, intact, not too stoked about black dog). black dog followed us for almost 2 blocks, interested (probably friendly) in my dog that was very much not. the threat of breaking up a fight with my dog and a homeless/ownerless chow was enough to make me want the dog caught. what if there was a fight, what if i got bit? things happen, even with friendly strays. its a health and safety hazard.
during/just after this incident some ladies walked by and i asked them if they knew the owner of the dog. they said ‘oh, thats black dog, he’s fine’ i responded that i was going to call animal control and they fussed at me.
if black dog were a mangy pit bull it would have been caught ages ago. but people enjoyed having the dog around, for better or worse, so it wasnt. i’m glad there were no incidents, i just dont think its good practice.
Maybe you should have socialized your dog better, and neutered him!
He had a old soul, and a spirit about him that one can’t describe.
He had an “ole soul” and a” spirit” that one can’t describe.
OK—-this is going to sound a bit crazy, but my neighbor swears she saw a large lion-like black dog last night trotting behind her house in the alleyway. She knows Black Dog is gone, but still affirms at what she saw last night. I think Black Dog’s spirit is still with us…..
Hi — does anyone know why Black Dog was taken to Buckingham county instead of being buried in his turf?
I just came from leaving flowers and a card for Black Dog on the corner with others where he died. He was very special to many of us, a truly free and independent spirit, who just did his own thing. Every time I saw him trotting down the street on his mission, it made my day. From another free and independent spirit who now realizes I too am mortal.
So sad.
Take my e-mail address off this site.
I never knew Black Dog.
I saw the flowers today at Maxwell and Cary. It’s amazing how many people truly cared about Black Dog. I used to stop whenever I saw him and watch for a few minutes. I was so sad this morning knowing that I’ll never see him again.
I’m a runner that use to live near Patterson and Libbie and I had a route that took me down Grove Avenue. I saw Black Dog on a number of occasions but once, as I was headed east on Grove just a little west of Maxwell, I saw a dog trotting toward me on the sidewalk. Initially, I didn’t think anything other than to be sure to check the dog’s demeanor as I got closer.
And, as I DID get closer, the dark colored dog didn’t change his pace but just kept trotting. When we were maybe a house width away from each other, he just cut to the inside, trotted around me via the front yard of the house we were crossing and kept trotting on. As we were across from each other, I realized it was Black Dog. I kept running for a few steps further as I didn’t want to scare him but once he was past, I stopped and watched him continue on his journey and, as he got back on to the sidewalk, he turned to look back at me.
That was my one story of Black Dog.
My wife and I were very sad to hear of his death.
Black Dog – you will be missed!
The SPCA has started a fund in Black Dog’s honor
I met him once on Thanksgiving day 2006. He was trotting down Fitzhugh, right across from my home. I had heard about him from my father and wondered if I would ever see him. I ran inside to get my camera–wasn’t gone 20 seconds, but when I came back, he was gone. God Bless You Black Dog! You were obviously a very loved fellow.
I live near Maxwell and Cary…Black dog would walk down my street and always stop at my home if I were outside. I never approached him, but once my husband threw him some hot dogs…the “all beef ones” I was saving for a BBQ…after that I tried giving him “chicken dogs” but he just kept on walking. So, I bought him a pack of the “all beef ones” and he gobbled them up…
Jane, I love “all beef” vs. chicken dog story. Sounds just like Black Dog to me. Very cute. Black Dog so easily wrapped around folks around his finger!
Has anyone heard if he was male or female…did they find a collar on him?
[...] in 2002 and have maintained his bank account to be used for his medical expenses if needed. After Black Dog’s death caused by a hit and run driver on Cary Street Road, the original group buried him at an undisclosed location in Buckingham County. The T-Shirts have [...]
What made Black Dog so unique was the fact that he was a free spirit and was allowed to roam freeing, probably all of his life. This group would not exist if he had been fenced in or made to obey the “leash laws”, which would have been impossible anyway since he didn’t have a actual owner. If his human guardian angels had not helped him, he would have probably died in an animal shelter. THAT would have been a real tragedy. Since I have not heard anything about BD ever attacking any other dogs or people, why shouldn’t he have been left to roam in peace. That is, after all, why he is/was so special. I personally give thanks to anyone that helped keep him from being caged.
I also think it was a good idea to have him buried at an undisclosed place in the country. Where else could he have been buried that would insure the safety of his remains? His guardian angels only had HIS best interest at heart when making that decision. I do think it would be nice to have a memorial plaque made and placed in the area he called home. I’m sure we would all donate to have one made.
Finally, if anyone would rather the donations from T shirt and bake sales go to another organization, you can always make a private donation to the organization of your choice, in his name. BD’s friends have done a great job trying to benefit others with the distribution of the donations. He is helping his fellow canines and sick children. What a great legacy he leaves!
If he didn’t harm anybody, was neutured and utd on shots then I think it would have been fine that he roamed except for the fact that he could have gotten in the wrong hands. Fortunately it doesn’t look like anybody ever abused him and think it’s cool that he did live free. He sounds like he was a great dog and for everyone that knew & loved him, I’m sorry for your loss.
I never saw Black Dog and left the Richmond area several years ago, but followed him through the occasional stories in the RTD. Having let my RTD subscription expire, I’d not thought about him in quite a while. How odd that while attending a conference in Richmond recently I stumbled upon the marketing conference at the GRCC where I happily picked up a complimentary copy of the RTD, and where, of all things,on a back page, was the photo of Black Dog w/ the notice of his passing. It seems that his special mystique continues, even after death. To the individual who feels confident she saw that lion-like image, I had a beloved horse die several years ago and the evening of his death, after he’d been buried, I stepped out my back door at dusk. I still get chills when I recall how something caught my attention and when I turned, I saw my horse running the paddock fence as he did every dinner time. Don’t discount what we truly cannot understand . . .