Meaford, Ontario, Canada: Famous and Heroic Dogs Park
Originally the grave of Beautiful Joe, a Canadian saved-from-abuse dog, the park has expanded with monuments for other famous and heroic canines.
Beautiful Joe Heritage Park
- Address:
- Owen St., Meaford, ON, Canada
- Directions:
- Beautiful Joe Heritage Park. Along the north bank of Bighead River, at the junction of Edwin and Berry Sts, just west of downtown. The park entrance is on Owen St., just south of the Bighead River bridge, between Legion Rd and Edwin St.
- Admission:
- Free
Visitor Tips and News About Famous and Heroic Dogs Park
Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
A True Dog Park
Beautiful Joe Park is a memorial to a local dog, Joe, who was abused and then rescued. Back in 1890 a local man, Walter Moore, rescued Joe after learning that he was being abused by another resident. He took the dog in and nursed him back to health.
In 1892 Margaret Marshall Saunders from Nova Scotia wrote a novel about Joe and entered it into an American Humane Society contest. It won first place and was published later that year. The style of the novel was unique because it was written from Joe's point of view. It did a lot to raise awareness about animal cruelty. It was the first Canadian novel to sell over a million copies.
In 1963 the Beautiful Joe Heritage Society purchased the land next to the house where Joe lived out the rest of his life and turned it into a city park. Joe's grave became the first monument to be dedicated, and throughout the years, other memorials were dedicated to guide dogs, search and rescue dogs, and police dogs, making this a true dog park.
[signmanjoe, 06/01/2015]Nearby Offbeat Places
Latest Tips Across Roadside America
Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.
Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!
Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.
Also memorialized in the park is Sirius, the only police dog killed in the WTC attacks on 9/11.