In the 1860s, Bummer and Lazarus became San Francisco's most celebrated street dogs. Their exceptional rat-killing utility and inseparable bond earned them unique affection from the public, eventually leading the Board of Supervisors to exempt them from municipal muzzle and leash ordinances.
BRICKS & SWEAT: WHY IT MATTERS
The dogs operated primarily around Frederick Martin's Saloon and the newspaper offices near Montgomery and Merchant Streets. They represent the early, quirky bohemian character of the neighborhood—a place where even stray dogs were granted citizenship and celebrated in the daily press for their loyalty.
