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RIP Eclipse: Seattle's bus-riding dog

caption: Pedestrians cross in front of a King County Metro bus in Capitol Hill, August 2, 2021.
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Pedestrians cross in front of a King County Metro bus in Capitol Hill, August 2, 2021.
Genna Martin for KUOW

Eclipse went for a walk, alone, one day in 2015 while his owner was out for a smoke. That walk led to a bus ride, and that bus ride led to a dog park. And the whole trip led local celebrity status for Eclipse, the black lab mix who rides the bus to a Seattle dog park.

Eclipse passed away last week at the age of 10 (64 in dog years), shortly after a vet diagnosed her with cancer, according to The Washington Post.

Eclipse became a regular commuter on King County Metro's D line, hopping aboard near her Seattle home and exiting near a dog park. She never missed her stop and became a local favorite. Fame soon followed.

King County Metro jumped on the hype and put Eclipse in a "Bus Doggy Dog" music video. Her human family, Jeff Young, wrote Eclipse into a children's book.

In a statement, via twitter, King County Metro thanked Eclipse for "so many smiles."

"Eclipse was a super sweet, world-famous, bus riding dog and true Seattle icon. You brought joy and happiness to everyone and showed us all that good dogs belong on the bus."

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