Eclipse The Seattle Bus-Riding Dog Has Crossed The Rainbow Bridge [VIDEO]

A black Labrador named Eclipse will be remembered as a “Seattle icon” after becoming famous in 2015 for riding the city buses. Eclipse took the bus without her owner, traveling from home to the local dog park and back again. The sad news is that this much-loved dog has crossed the rainbow bridge at the age of 10.

Eclipse the Seattle bus-riding dog

The story began in 2015 when a black Labrador mix dog named Eclipse was spotted, taking Seattle city buses alone and traveling from home to the dog park and back again. She never rode the bus for long – just a few stops took her where she wanted to be.

Meanwhile, as the bus approached her stop, she banged on the door to be let out for fun in the park. This caused her to be hugely popular with commuters on the buses, who always gave her a fuss as she walked down the aisle.

However, sadly, Seattle’s city buses will no longer see their most famous passenger, as Eclipse died on Friday at the age of 10.

How did her bus journey begin?

Back in early 2015, Eclipse impatiently climbed on board her usual bus, while her owner, Jeff Young was finishing his cigarette. According to Young, the black Lab mix was unaware that she had climbed on board without him. Meanwhile, out of habit, she climbed off the bus at the correct stop for the dog park and began to enjoy herself playing.

Meanwhile, Young took the next bus, panicking that he had lost Eclipse, only to find her playing in the dog park as usual. Following this, the dog became a regular commuter on the Seattle buses, taking two or three solo trips to the park each week, while looking out the window to ensure she didn’t miss her stop.

Soon after this, a local radio host noticed her getting off the bus without an owner. This led to an on-air radio segment, which grabbed the interest of the Seattle TV station, KOMO. Meanwhile, following this Eclipse starred in national media coverage, while the Internet did the test.

Bus Doggy Dog music video

As soon as Seattle’s public transport system, King County Media got news of the story, they made Eclipse even more famous by making a music video for the song Bus Doggy Dog. The video closes with the tagline: “Get around like Eclipse. Plan your next trip.”

Meanwhile, Young made a Facebook page for “Eclipse Seattle’s Bus Riding Dog” where he regularly shared updates with her followers. As of Monday this week, her followers numbered 122,000. Back in 2016, Eclipse’s owner co-wrote a children’s book, Dog on Board: The True Story of Eclipse, the Bus-Riding Dog. Moreover, as the years went by, Young and his famous dog received plenty of gifts in the form of treats, leashes and harnesses.

However, besides the fame, Young and Eclipse’s relationship was that of a loving human and his best friend, a dog. Young first got her when she was a 10-week-old puppy and they have spent all but a couple of nights together in the almost 11 years they have been together.

However, on Wednesday last week, Young made a sad post about Eclipse. He told her followers that the vet had found cancerous tumors. He asked her followers to send “spare vibes” their way, but two days later, he had truly bad news. It turned out Eclipse had passed away overnight in her sleep.

Young told the Washington Post:

She’s gone, and I miss her, and it really sucks.

Meanwhile, King County Metro was quick to offer condolences to Young on the loss of Seattle’s famous bus-riding dog. In a Twitter post, they wrote, “Eclipse was a super sweet, world-famous, bus riding dog and true Seattle icon,” adding, “You brought joy and happiness to everyone and showed us all that good dogs belong on the bus.”

Rest in peace, Eclipse. You had an amazing life, making friends in Seattle while riding the bus to the dog park.