Jon Stewart might be best known as a late night show host and political commentator, but he is also a very loving dog dad.
That became evident Monday (26 February), as Stewart, eyes already bloodshot, as though he had been weeping the night before, told “The Daily Show” viewers that his beloved dog Dipper had passed away the day before.“In a world of good boys, he was the best,” Stewart said, his voice already breaking. “I thought I’d get further.”
Tears kept rolling as he paid an emotional tribute to his late dog, sharing the story of how Dipper came to be part of his family.
Stewart recalled that twelve years ago, his kids wanted to raise money for an animal shelter in New York called Animal Haven. After baking cupcakes to sell just outside Animal Haven, the staff brought out a “one-ish year old brindle pitbull” who had lost his right leg after being hit by a car. After Dipper sat in Stewart’s lap for the first time, all bets were off.
Since that fateful day, Dipper became “part of the OG ‘Daily Show’ dog crew.”
“We’d come to tape this show, and Dipper would wait for me to be done,” he said. “He met actors and authors and presidents and kings. And he did what the Taliban could not do, which is, put a scare into Malala Yousafzai.”
He then ran a clip of Yousafzai getting spooked by Dipper during her guest appearance.
Stewart then delivered the heartbreaking news that “Dipper passed away yesterday. He was ready. He was tired, but I wasn’t. And the family, we were all together.”
“My wish for you is one day you find that dog, that one dog… It’s just… It’s the best,” Stewart concluded.
The segment ended with a moment of silence for Dipper as a video of him happy in the snow played with the credits.
Watch the touching moment below:
The raw video resonated with so many viewers, and even inspired some to share their own tragic losses. One thing became clear: this heartbreak is a feeling shared by parents.
As one Youtube commenter poignantly wrote:
“Anyone who has had a pet will know that grief and loss are a part of that beautiful, goofy, loving, sometimes chaotic package. We know it when we take them on, and yet somehow, when the time comes, it’s always the same, heart-wrenching, emptying experience. I am so glad you found your heart-dog, and that he found you and your family.”Though Dipper will be missed, Stewart is not without animals in his life. Eight years ago, Stewart and his wife traded in their city life to live on a farm, which eventually became the fourth property of Farm Sanctuary, an advocacy group that fights the factory farm industry and cares for abused animals.
