Pennsylvania Dog Names

A famous dog in Pennsylvania is actually a statue; known as Morley’s dog, the statue is located in Johnstown, across from city hall. While there are many stories about the dog, to include how he rescued people in the Johnstown Flood of 1889, in actuality, there never was a dog in the first place. The stories are local folklore; the statue, made of zinc, was a mass-produced lawn ornament that was owned by an employee of Cambria Iron Works by the name of James Morley. The dog was in his yard when it was washed away in the flood of 1889, which occurred when a dam burst, leaving the city in ruins. After the flood, the statue was found in a pile of wreckage.

The city of Johnstown gradually was rebuilt and the statue, called “Morley’s Dog” became a symbol of the city’s resilience. Also called “Johnstown’s Best Friend”, the statue had a place of honor in a park downtown. Over time, legends developed. Some said that the statue represented a dog that saved a family from the flood, others believed the statue was actually a real, petrified dog.

While the statue made it through the catastrophic flood, after a century of Pennsylvania winters and being sat on by tourists, it was in disrepair. In 2004 the statue was removed for preservation and replace by a replica almost exactly like the original. Over the course of seven years, the statue was analyzed, take apart, reassembled, patched, sealed and painted in what was thought to be its original colors. The original is back in town, displayed behind glass. This piece of lawn art cost less than $200 from a catalog, however $14,000 was needed for its repairs.

Abby is another well-known dog in Pennsylvania, however in this case the dog is real. Abby, a Black Labrador mix, went missing from her home in Apollo, Pennsylvania in 2008. While her family conducted an extensive search, she was never found and it was assumed that she had died. Ten years later, Abby appeared on the front porch of a home in Lower Burrell. While not interested in food, Abby drank a lot of water. The couple whose house she arrived at took her to an animal shelter in New Kensington, where a microchip was found.

Debra Suierveld was confused at first when she got the call about her missing dog. After all, she had been home with her dog, Cedona, who was obviously not missing. Upon learning that the dog’s name was Abby, Suierveld was understandably surprised. After all, Abby had gotten lost ten years ago. Abby, now 10 to 12 years old, was examined and found to be in good health. Upon arriving home with Suierveld, Abby proved that she still remembered the commands she learned many years ago. It is not clear where Abby went for the time she was gone, though no one in the area has reported a missing dog.