Animation Source Forums

The famous, oft-quoted line "dog is man's best friend" is directly attributed to the history of Balto himself. (This information also is to be considered as more accurate than what I posted in the Balto 1 folder, in the "Balto 4: A New Rumour" thread, where I mistakenly associated this speech with the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.)

After Balto and his team were rescued from Sam Houston's dank, dark, and poorly-visited dime-a-look museum in Los Angeles, by Cleveland businessman George Kimble (and the U.S. press corps, and monetary donations by thousands of U.S. citizens), they were taken to the city of Cleveland, Ohio and given a grand parade, which they marched in (harnessed to their old sled, which was driven by Miss Marye P. Berne, the "Nightingale of Alaska"...a cabaret singer who was brought up in the Alaskan Klondike, and was a former musher).

At City Hall, a special ceremony was held on the steps. Judge James B. Ruhl, chairman of the Balto Committee, gave a short but moving speech, which opened with that now-famous line: "The dog is man's best friend. A dog's love is akin to a mother's love. He is man's last friend when the cloud of misfortune hangs over him. And he is to be found watching at his master's grave when the last friend has departed." The speech brought onlookers to tears.

(Source: "The Adventures of Balto: The Untold Story of Alaska's Famous Iditarod Sled Dog", by Patricia Chargot, © 2006 Publication Consultants)

*Sniff* Made me feel sad too, very moving and great find Seppala, I never ever knew that before...YAY, now I can act all clever.

The Dog Is Man's Best Friend are true I had a dog for a long time a go but now is he dead I miss him very much

He was my BEST FRIEND FOR EVER

I would have cried too, it was a beautiful speech. I have never heard that story before! It's amazing that that famous phrase that all dog lovers and non dog lovers know comes from the one and only Balto! I am so proud!
"The dog is man's best friend. A dog's love is akin to a mother's love. He is man's last friend when the cloud of misfortune hangs over him. And he is to be found watching at his master's grave when the last friend has departed."

All true... i think thats one of the best phrases i have ever heard, three cheers to Judge James! The part that says, "He is to be found watching at his master's grave when the last friend departed", anyone ever heard of the famous Scottish dog Greyfriers Bobby?

I have - that is ANOTHER touching dog story! And an amazing one too!

It is, it is! And i have visited the monument in Edinburgh, and it nearly brought tears to my eyes! As it will again when I visit Balto's.