“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart had millions in tears this week, as he shared a heartfelt tribute to his beloved dog, Dipper, who passed away earlier this week.
His monologue — which spurred some tears of his own — illustrated a beautiful family story of how he and his family came to adopt Dipper, a Brindle Pit Bull, about 12 years ago.
It goes a little something like this: When his children were young, they wanted to raise a little money for a New York City animal shelter, Animal Haven.
“They do incredible work,” Stewart said in his monologue, to uproarious applause. “It’s a no-kill shelter for cats and dogs.”
He and his kids set up shop outside the shelter with a small bake sale, and as a little added incentive, the shelter brought out Dipper.
And it was love at first sight.
“We left that day feeling really good that we helped this wonderful organization,” Stewart said. “And we also left with this one-ish-year-old Pit Bull.”
After a life of love and adoration from the Stewarts, Dipper died earlier this week.
“In a world of good boys, he was the best,” Stewart said through tears.
While the tribute was a beautiful way to honor his beloved furry friend, the internet took it a step further.
Animal Haven shared a clip of Stewart’s tribute on their social media pages, and supporters of the organization immediately began donating in Dipper’s honor.
According to TMZ, Animal Haven has received an influx of donations totaling almost $25,000 in the days since Stewart’s announcement.
Tiffany Lacey, the shelter’s executive director, told the outlet that the contributions have come from over 500 new donors.
“Just donated in memory of Dipper,” one person wrote on the organization’s Facebook page. “We have a brindle pittie who is the best girl.”
“Donated!” cheered another commenter. “From our Dipper, in memory of your sweet Dipper, and the amazing work you all do!”
Donations, according to the Animal Haven website, will be used to provide medications, food, veterinary care, and life-saving surgeries to animals awaiting their forever homes.
Some donations are also coming from the shelter’s Amazon wishlist, as folks send items like towels, treats, and toys to furry friends in need.
The comment section of Animal Haven’s Facebook was also filled with success stories of folks who adopted their beloved friends from the shelter, too, responding to the caption the organization wrote to accompany Stewart’s video.
“Each day, we place dogs and cats in loving homes. They are all so very lucky,” the caption reads. “But Dipper really hit the jackpot that day to find a home where the humans living in it aspire to treat animals at the highest level.”
This devotion to Dipper was also illustrated in Stewart’s tribute, where he shared anecdotes about Dipper’s time on set at “The Daily Show,” even showing a clip of the dog surprising human rights advocate Malala Yousafzai as she walked down a hallway.
(Malala posted on X — formerly Twitter — in response to the resurfaced clip, saying she has overcome her fear of dogs and can’t wait to meet Stewart’s next canine companion.)
“Boy, my wish for you is that someday you find that dog,” Stewart said. “That one dog that just… is the best.”
Though the grief of losing one’s pet is indescribable, the outpouring of support Stewart — and Animal Haven — have received will surely inspire even more inseparable human-animal bonds. Some social media commenters have already expressed interest in adopting a dog after watching this heartfelt tribute.
“Dipper lives on now in our hearts and minds as a powerful reminder of the importance of pet adoption and the love that an animal can bring into your life,” Animal Haven wrote on social media.
“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for making even more rescue work possible and allowing us to continue our mission of finding cherished homes for cats and dogs in need.”
Header images courtesy of The Daily Show and Jon Stewart/X