Eclipse, Seattle’s beloved bus-riding dog, has passed away at the age of 10. The black Labrador/Mastiff mix—or Mastador as her dad Jeff Young lovingly referred to her—became a local icon when she started boarding public transport all by herself in 2015.
After countless daily rides alongside Young to her favorite dog park, Eclipse decided she no longer required a human chaperone. One day, as Young finished his morning cigarette, she climbed aboard the bus without him, hopping off at their usual stop. The rest, as they say, is history!
Fame Has Its Pup Perks
Eclipse soon earned worldwide fame for her solo shenanigans around Seattle. Armed with her very own bus pass, she visited the park two to three times a week, happily greeting her fellow passengers along the way. Many credited the friendly pup with brightening their otherwise dull commute.
Even Seattle’s public transit authority, King Country Metro, came to embrace their furry fare, making Eclipse their brand ambassador. In 2015, they created a promotional music video titled Bus Doggy Dog (see below), in which Eclipse rides around the city, “dining at dog-friendly restaurants, shopping for treats, and visiting a local movie theater.”
Saying Goodbye To A “Seattle Icon”
Young has long kept a Facebook page in Eclipse’s honor where her fans can keep up with her adventures and post candid photos from Eclipse sightings around the city. On October 14, 2022, Young shared that his beloved companion had passed away peacefully in her sleep after being diagnosed with cancerous tumors.
“Thank you all for the heartfelt messages about Eclipse Seattle’s Bus Riding Dog she was loved my so many,” he wrote soon after. “RIP in Doggie Heaven you’ll never be forgotten sweet girl.”
Thousands of the page’s followers posted messages of support and favorite memories of Eclipse. Many also contributed to the dog’s cremation costs so Young can keep a piece of Eclipse with him forever.
King County Metro shared a tribute to the special dog on Twitter:
“Eclipse was a super sweet, world-famous, bus-riding dog and true Seattle icon. You brought joy and happiness to everyone and showed us all that good dogs belong on the bus.”
One Facebook fan recommended the city build a statue in Eclipse’s honor at her favorite bus stop. Make it happen, Seattle!
Original Post:
She loves hugs and the color red. Her pet peeves include cat people and being stared at while pooping. She’s Eclipse, Seattle’s Bus Riding Dog! What’s so special about an urban dog riding a bus, you ask? Eclipse rides Seattle’s D-line five stops to the local dog park – by herself!
After riding with her owner Jeff Young each day, Eclipse grew tired of waiting for him to finish his morning cigarette. One day she decided to hop on by herself and has been doing it ever since!
But don’t worry, just because Young sometimes misses the bus, Eclipse is far from alone when she rides! She is quite the Seattle celebri-dog and her fellow travelers are more than happy to look out for her.
The five-year-old “Black Mastador” (that’s not a species of dinosaur, it’s a Mastiff/Labrador mix) trots along the aisle until she finds an open seat. She often rides next to strangers, using her canine charms to convert them into friends by the time her stop rolls around!
Eclipse even has a following of devoted fans who call themselves Ecliptomaniacs. They think she’s the coolest thing to come out of the Emerald City since the Space Needle – as far as iHeartDogs is concerned, they are correct!
Eclipse has become such a staple of Seattle life that the King County Department of Transportation created a music video featuring the precocious pooch! It features her enjoying an eventful day off in Seattle, “visiting everywhere she likes to go with the new Puget Sound Trip Planner App.” Enjoy!
Featured Image via Facebook/Eclipse Seattle’s Bus Riding Dog
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