Animal Shelter Receives Donations in Memory of Jon Stewart’s Dog
Comedian Jon Stewart returned to “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central in February, and viewers have been tuning in to watch him talk about current events. Stewart hosts every Monday night, serving up news in a hilarious way. But on February 26, he closed the show on a somber note, spending a few minutes talking about his dog, Dipper.
Jon Stewart Remembers His Extraordinary Dog
Stewart shared a touching story of how he met and came to adopt Dipper. He explained that, 12 or 13 years ago, his young children wanted to raise money for Animal Haven, a no-kill shelter for dogs and cats in New York City. To fundraise, his family baked cupcakes and set up an area outside of the shelter to sell them.
He went on to say that the shelter brought out a pit bull who was about 1 year old. At this point, Stewart started to break down, clearly getting emotional as he explained that the dog had been hit by a car in Brooklyn and had lost one of his legs as a result.
Through tears, Stewart said his family left the shelter after raising some much-needed funds for a wonderful organization that does great work. But they also left with the very special pit bull who had stolen their hearts and who was, as Stewart described him, the best boy. Dipper even used to go to the studio with Stewart, so he met the famous people who were guests on the show.
Then, Stewart shared the devastating news that Dipper had passed away just the day before. He ended with a wish for everyone to find an amazing dog they could love. And then, for the show’s “Moment of Zen,” they played an adorable video of Dipper playing in the snow.
You can watch the segment here:
Donations Poured into Animal Haven
In a show of support and love, people who saw the segment and learned about Dipper decided to donate to Animal Haven in his memory. By the following Monday, March 4, the shelter had received $60,000 in donations.
The donations received in Dipper’s honor will be used to care for the dogs at the shelter. And this money couldn’t have come at a better time, as so many dogs are being surrendered lately.
Animal Haven posted on Instagram to thank everyone for their donations, and shared a series of photos of Dipper. In that post, they also said they’ll be honoring Dipper by reducing their dog adoption fees by $100 for the month of March.
If you’d like to donate to Animal Haven or see the pets up for adoption at the shelter, visit their website.
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Lisa Selvaggio is a freelance writer and editor, and our resident cats-pert, with certifications in pet nutrition and pet first aid. She enjoys producing content that helps people understand animals better so they can give their pets a safe and happy home.
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