SOMSERSET, UK. 17th October, 2024 - A lively Boston bull terrier named Honk Honk has been named as the very first dog to travel right around the world.
Until now this accolade had been given to two other dogs; a Russian dog Laika who orbited the earth on board the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2 in 1957, and a rescue dog Savannah who walked around the world with her owner Tom Turcich in the years between 2015 and 2022.
Now British journalist and author Sally Smith has verified the record for Honk Honk who had some amazing adventures as he made a 13 month long journey from New Jersey on the eastern states of America right across Europe and Asia before returning home in 1910.
“Honk Honk is at last receiving the acclaim he should have done a century ago,” said Sally. “I found out about him when researching my latest book The Women Who Went Round the World. Honk Honk was given to a formidable American lady called Harriet White Fisher who was the very first woman to complete a circumnavigation by car.
“The little dog made Harriet’s Type 1 Locomobile his home and stayed with the car for the entire trip, having some enormous adventures on the way.”
Reports that have now come to light show Honk Honk romped around the nearby countryside when the car was travelling reasonably slowly; fearlessly running into nearby jungles to bark at strange wild animals. He also made friends with many humans in the different countries he visited.
“He seemed quite a gentle dog for a Bull Terrier although he did have his moments,” said Sally. “He got into big trouble for eating the delicate leaves of a begonia in a beautiful Italian garden and in India he had many adventures especially with local jackals, chipmunks and goats.”
On the long trip, Honk Honk ate a wide variety of food including soup and bread when there were no bones for him, but seemed remarkable healthy, avoiding snake bikes and other hazards as he accompanied the car around the world. Sometimes he would check in with Harriet White Fisher into some of the grandest hotels across Asia where the staff often made a huge fuss of him; other times he would stand guard all night while Harriet was fast asleep in a tent in a remote location. At one point in Sri Lanka Harriet adopted a little monkey, and there was a slight skirmish when they were first introduced as Honk Honk was used to chasing monkeys. However, soon things settled down and they eventually became the best of friends and travelled happily together. Honk Honk even stood patiently as the little monkey turned somersaults on his back.
“It really is a fabulous story and I am still finding out new aspects of Honk Honk’s remarkable trip,” said Sally. “He did seem to be a very happy, very resilient and very determined little doggie.”
The full story of Harriet White’s Fisher global journey including some details of Honk Honk’s travels are in Sally’s new book The Women Who Went Round the World, published by the History Press and available now at all good bookshops and online outlets. Sally is hoping that more details of Honk Honk’s trip will be able to be uncovered so that he can finally have his own biography.
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