Bunkō was famous and well loved throughout Japan as The Firefighting Dog in the early 1900s.
In 1914, a crying puppy was found in burnt-down ruins in Otaru, Japan by a firefighter. No one claimed the puppy so the firefighters kept him and named him Bunkō. The mixed-breed dog was loved by the firefighters and the people of Otaru.
Bunkō was an intelligent dog who proudly walked around the station wearing a firefighter's hat. He soon began copying the firefighters (standing to attention and saluting when commanded) and helping the men when fires occurred. When the alarm sounded, he would howl to alert the men and ride along with them on the side-step of the fire truck - without falling off on his more than 1000 runs. When they arrived at the scene of the fire, he would grab the nozzle of the hose with his mouth to give to the firefighter, and if the hose was to become tangled during the process of fighting the fire, he would untangle it. He would also stop onlookers from getting close to the fire by barking at them. He became known as "the firefighting dog" and his story was told in newspapers and magazines throughout Japan.
Bunkō lived a long life, and as he aged and his legs became weak, the determined and dedicated dog would try his hardest to board the fire truck when the fire alarm went off. He passed away in February 1938, at the age of 24. His body was preserved and displayed at the fire services main headquarters for a while before being moved to a museum, and a bronze statue of him was made to honor his services.
