Florence Dog Names

Carlo  Soriani lived in a hamlet not far from Florence. He worked as a general laborer. One winter in 1941, he was on his way home when he heard a puppy whimpering and yelping. Upon investigation, he discovered a tiny young street puppy laying alongside the road. The young dog had been severely injured. Carlo quickly decided to help the pooch. He wrapped him up and carried him home. Soon, with Carlo's tender care, the puppy started to recover from his injuries. 

The small white and black dog bonded very closely with Carlo. The duo quickly became inseparable. Carlo decided to name the pup, "Fido."  Fido is a historic Italian name that was often used by the Roman soldiers for their canine war dogs. It is Latin for, "I trust." 

Every day, Fido would follow Carlo to the bus depot where he would catch the bus to work. Fido would then wait all day by the bus stop for Carlo to come home from work. Each day, the happy dog would greet Carlo's bus and then they would walk the rest of the way home together. This routine went on for years, and everyone in the town was aware of the man and his canine friend. 

In the 1940s, World War II erupted in Europe. One day, on December 30th, 1943, the Allies struck the factory where Carlo worked with bombs. Carlo was killed. Unfortunately, Fido had no idea that Carlo had been killed. He waited by the bus stop for his owner to arrive, but he never showed up.  Finally, as the sun set, Fido went back to Carlo's home. However, the next day the dog again went to the bus stop to wait. Fido would continue waiting for Carlo every day at the bus stop for the next 14 years. 

The loyal dog became famous for his unending wait. La Nazione, the Italian national newspaper did a headline story about Fideo. Everyone who read the report was deeply moved and a ceramic statue was erected in Fido's honor. However, vandals did not respect the homage to this loyal pup and destroyed the statue. The townspeople were heartbroken that the art piece was destroyed, so Salvatore Cipolla was commissioned to create a bronze masterpiece of the dog which remains at the site where Fido waited. 

Eventually, Fido's story was told around the world. He was so famous that when stricter dog laws passed in the region, he was the only one still allowed to run around without a muzzle. In 1957, the city hall and the residents threw a big party to honor Fido, and he was given a gold medal. Fido passed away in 1958. He was buried outside the cemetery where his beloved owner rests.