3. Owney, the Postal Dog

Owney was a stray mutt adopted by the employees of the post office in Albany, New York in 1888. He became attached to the bags of mail and began riding the trains that delivered them- first the local, then statewide and across the nation. In 1895 Owney rode around the world on mail trains and ships! Everywhere he went, postal workers gave him local medals, which he wore on a specially-made vest. The workers considered him good luck, because no train carrying Owner ever wrecked. Owney died in 1897 of a gunshot wound due to an altercation with a journalist in Toledo. His body was preserved and is now on display in the National Postal Museum.