In San Francisco lore, two stray dogs are almost as famous as Emperor Norton. As Dogster reports, Bummer and Lazarus became famous when the former saved the latter from a brutal dogfight. The pair became fast friends, roaming the city, begging for food, and hunting rats. Their success at rat-hunting endeared them to the local merchants, and their unusual bond endeared them to the rest of the city. Reporters began writing stories about Bummer and Lazarus' adventures, and the two dogs became so beloved that a special law was passed exempting them from dog-catching regulations.
The story of Bummer and Lazarus entwined with Emperor Norton for a simple reason: The strays followed Norton around, knowing he was a reliable source of scraps when he ate at local restaurants. As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the trio became so iconic a local cartoonist named Edward Jump drew a famous sketch of Norton, Bummer, and Lazarus picking at a sumptuous buffet, known as "The Three Bummers." Reportedly, Norton was incensed by the cartoon and smashed a shop window in anger when he saw it displayed.
Bummer and Lazarus had sad ends. Lazarus was poisoned, and two years later, Bummer died after being attacked by a drunk. The dogs were mourned by the city, and a plaque honors their memory today in the city's Transamerica Redwood Park, reading "Two dogs, but with a single bark, two tails that wagged as one."
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