Bum the Dog Statue – Edinburgh’s Tribute to San Diego’s Most Beloved Stray

Bum the Dog — a bronze tribute in Edinburgh to San Diego’s most beloved stray, remembered for his loyalty, joy, and quiet courage.

Walk through the western end of Princes Street Gardens, near the King’s Stables Road entrance and you might spot something small, almost hidden among the trees. A bronze dog, lying quietly on the ground. One front paw is shorter than the other. His ears are alert. His face is calm. This is Bum — a stray from the streets of 19th-century San Diego, brought to life in bronze and gifted to Edinburgh as a symbol of friendship between two cities.

Bum was born in San Francisco in 1886 to a stray mother. Still a puppy, he stowed away on a steamboat and ended up in San Diego, where he quickly became a fixture on the city streets. He had no owner, no collar and no fixed address — but everyone knew him. He joined parades, trotted beside children on their way to school, followed fire engines and made himself at home on every corner. When children cried, he was there, gently nudging their hands. When trouble stirred, he often stood by. He was scruffy, brave, loyal and full of life.

One day, a train accident left him badly injured and part of his front leg had to be removed. But Bum didn’t give up and neither did the people of San Diego. They nursed him back to health and the city council passed a special law to protect him — a stray, legally granted the right to roam. The shortened paw remains visible in his statue, a quiet testament to the resilience that made him so loved. He walked with a limp but he kept walking.

When Bum died in 1898, San Diego mourned. He had become more than a dog — he was a symbol of kindness, community and belonging. A century later, when San Diego and Edinburgh became sister cities, San Diego sent a statue of Bum as a gift of goodwill.

Edinburgh already had its own beloved stray: Greyfriars Bobby, the little Skye Terrier known for guarding his master’s grave. While Bobby stood for loyalty to one man, Bum stood for loyalty to everyone. Both were strays. Both were mourned. And now, through fate and friendship, both have statues in Edinburgh — two dogs remembered for the love they gave freely.

You’ll find Bum lying there today, tucked into the garden greenery — easy to miss, but impossible to forget once seen. If you can, give him a stick. In San Diego, where they once threw sticks for Bum to chase and bring back, tail wagging and eyes bright, people still leave them at his statue. A quiet gesture for a dog who had nothing but gave everything.

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