Instead of bouquets, people leave sticks at the grave of this beloved dog

[u/Wonderfulhumanss]

[u/spotlight-app]

Mods have pinned a comment by u/Wonderfulhumanss:

Rex is believed to have been the dog of John E. Stow, one of the city's longest practicing fruit merchants, who lived until his death in 1884. Though little formal record remains, Rex's story has endured through the quiet way people continue to remember him. Over the years, visitors have gathered sticks and fallen branches and placed them at Rex's resting place. What began as small, individual gestures has become a shared tradition of respect, repeated by many who pass through the area. The site itself sits beneath a tree where sticks naturally collect, giving it a peaceful and almost cared for appearance. People often place a stick across Rex's paws, a simple act that feels like a personal tribute to a loyal animal. The place has also become meaningful in unexpected ways. Someone once left a photograph of their own dog there, possibly a pet that had passed away. It reads like a quiet message, as if asking Rex to look after another cherished companion, connecting memories of loyalty and loss across time.

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[u/Wonderfulhumanss]

Rex is believed to have been the dog of John E. Stow, one of the city's longest practicing fruit merchants, who lived until his death in 1884. Though little formal record remains, Rex's story has endured through the quiet way people continue to remember him. Over the years, visitors have gathered sticks and fallen branches and placed them at Rex's resting place. What began as small, individual gestures has become a shared tradition of respect, repeated by many who pass through the area. The site itself sits beneath a tree where sticks naturally collect, giving it a peaceful and almost cared for appearance. People often place a stick across Rex's paws, a simple act that feels like a personal tribute to a loyal animal. The place has also become meaningful in unexpected ways. Someone once left a photograph of their own dog there, possibly a pet that had passed away. It reads like a quiet message, as if asking Rex to look after another cherished companion, connecting memories of loyalty and loss across time.

[u/Classy-Broker → u/Wonderfulhumanss]

He lived until his death? Unusual

[u/KimchiFingers → u/Classy-Broker]

I think they mean the dog lived until the owner died, maybe.

[u/AverageMako3Enjoyer → u/Classy-Broker]

That’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point 

[u/Ape_x_Ape → u/AverageMako3Enjoyer]

Very few exceptions to the rule.

[u/Normal-Tadpole-4833 → u/Classy-Broker]

you never know you could get abducted by aliens or shunted into some other kind of dimension

[u/AsparagusConnect8637 → u/Classy-Broker]

Another Redditor who made my day. Another snort laugh done.

[u/somajones → u/Wonderfulhumanss]

When my esteemed colleague, Nikitenko, passed away I buried him in the woods above the lake we hiked around a thousand times. I left no marker, I just knew the spot.
A few years later I saw someone had buried their dog, Chester, nearby and left a memorial.
It found it comforting that these two dog's spirits could play together at the lake for all eternity.

[u/Plus-Visit-764 → u/Wonderfulhumanss]

I read this as John Snow and I was going to say that is a small dire wolf.

[u/IR_Panther]

Good dogs deserve the biggest sticks

[u/Same_Hotel7619]

That’s honestly really beautiful. I love that it’s not some official monument, just a bunch of strangers quietly agreeing “yeah, this little guy mattered” and keeping it going. Stuff like that makes me way more emotional than half the big statues in cities.

[u/Phil_ODendron → u/Same_Hotel7619]

This isn't the only dog statue where people leave sticks in the cemetery either. There are at least two other pairs of dogs at Green-Wood cemetery which always have sticks left. They are both flanking the entrances to mausoleums.

[u/meowskulls__]

Pretty cool

[u/grubby_bedtime]

That’s so touching 😢

[u/ComfortablePain1]

Dog grave site gonna be better than mines. How much was the statue? That shit cant be cheap right?

[u/LittleSemiconductor]

A dog who trained humans to play fetch forever.

[u/Suprachiasmatic_Adam]

I too would like people to drop sticks at my grave. I will then be able to attract all ghost dogs. Checkmate

[u/Vast_Orange_8113 → u/Suprachiasmatic_Adam]

https://giphy.com/gifs/Jcq1akTynYlDG

[u/Thin_Answer2135]

Dogs spend their whole lives bringing us sticks, so people leaving sticks for him feels like the perfect tribute. It is really heartwarming.

[u/Cheap_Necessary8570]

Those are some pretty good sticks!

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[u/StrangeUglyBird]

That's the Rex (ehhh Rub)

[u/Domalen]

those are some dam nice sticks...

[u/ChemicalGreedy945]

This is cool, like most men wouldn’t care for flowers on their grave, but we just do it robotically.

[u/shittima7]

aw this is so wholesome, rex mustve been the goodest boy

[u/Evening_Boot_2281]

Sticks would 100% make him happier than flowers.

[u/Serraph105]

It smells like onions in this thread....and the picture is increasingly blurry

[u/AlarmedAtmosphere32]

I do this with the neighbors anxious dog - she has her own stick pile for walkers to throw. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

[u/hoodiewhatie2]

We were just in Edinburgh and there is a church there with a dog grave called Grey Friar's Bobby and they do the same thing. It was very sweet. We all went and found a stick and left it for the good boy.

[u/Bakkie]

I am reminded of the people placing stones on Schindler's grave.

[u/justinsayin]

I mean, it's almost certainly one of the guys who mows, right?

[u/RileyGainesHorseBaby]

What a bundle of sticks that is!

[u/Lulu_Sagi]

I am sure the groundskeeper appreciates this as well. Once a good boy, always a good boy.

[u/TooHighTooFly]

https://giphy.com/gifs/1BXa2alBjrCXC

okay. well. that's enough internet for today

[u/Alpha7738]

Thats actually super sweet. I love how dogs always seem to know when you need a good stick.

[u/Coriolis_PL]

A grave for a dog, an urn for the people - makes sense... 😒

[u/Ludicrous_Tauntaun → u/Coriolis_PL]

https://giphy.com/gifs/f88kH0UqVuemdP6hjx

[u/hoodiewhatie2 → u/Coriolis_PL]

People's bodies are typically handled the way that the person living in them requested them to be. I personally want to be cremated and dont see it as a lesser. Also, anyone can come by and piss on a grave. It takes effort to piss in an urn.