Statue of Auditor, the Strip Mine Dog - Butte, Montana
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 45° 59.659 W 112° 32.000
12T E 381258 N 5094559
The Auditor is in the Butte-Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce located at 1000 George Street near Kaw Street.
Waymark Code: WMXT5Z
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 02/23/2018
Views: 0
The Auditor
In 1986, an unusual white puppy was abandoned by an out-of-state car in the parking lot of the Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand. He was extremely shy and afraid of people, and all rescue attempts failed.
Over time, made his way onto the mine site, and the miners adopted him. They built a dog house at the middle of his territory, left food and water, and admired him (from a distance) for almost two decades. Some of the workers called him "Ralph," but to most, he was "The Auditor."
He never did warm up to people, but when he quietly passed away in his dog house on November 19, 2003, a deep sadness was felt by the mine workers, by the community, and by many people across the U.S. who learned of his exceptional story.
To some, he is just a shaggy, feral dog; to others, he represents the spirit and toughness of Butte. More importantly, he is a visual, permanent reminder of the seriousness of abandoning pets.
Transcribed from sign
The talented artist who created this bronze statue of "The Auditor" was Don Watts and was dedicated in 2005.
