Lady Spots Statue With Sweet, Inspirational Backstory

This was supposed to be an ordinary walk to clear her mind. Alice Fay was not expecting to stumble across something she had never seen before.

She was walking down Commonwealth Avenue as she did many times. It’s a popular picturesque, tree-lined street in Boston where you’ll find many pedestrians. On this particular day, she noticed a bronze dog peeking through a stone fence as she spoke to her sister who lives in another state.

She gasped and was speechless. She made a U-turn and began to investigate. She thought the statue was the cutest thing she had ever seen. It was a life-sized statue of a Labrador that appeared to be searching for her tennis ball. It was a memorial to a lost pet and she was almost moved to tears.

She decided to take some pictures and post them on Facebook. She wanted to find out if anyone knew the story about it. She really wanted to knock on the door to find out, but she didn’t want to be intrusive.

The statue allegedly belongs to Anne Lovett and Steve Woodsum. It was modeled after their black Labrador named Piper. The couple wanted to add something to their front yard that was unique and interesting. It was the sort of surprise that meant something to both of them. They commissioned the sculptor Jim Sardonis in 2006 to create the life-sized statue for their front garden that was similar to how Piper would greet them by sticking her head through the fence.

They added the tennis ball because she loved chasing them. To date, the statue has been there for over 17 years bringing joy to those who finally realize it’s there.

Images Credit: Alice Fay / Anne Lovett