Old Drum: The Missouri Hound Behind ‘Man’s Best Friend’
Most famous dogs got there through a camera. Old Drum got there through a lawsuit — and a single speech that outlived every person in the courtroom.
A hunting dog and a feud
Old Drum belonged to Missouri farmer Charles Burden. In 1869 he was shot and killed, allegedly on the orders of Burden’s neighbor and brother-in-law, Leonidas Hornsby. Burden sued for damages rather than retaliate, and the case, Burden v. Hornsby, went through the Johnson County courts three times.
The ‘eulogy of the dog’
At the third trial, on September 23, 1870, Burden’s lawyer, George Graham Vest, delivered a closing argument that needed no witnesses or evidence — just a tribute to dogs in general. Its best-known line: “The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog.” The jury awarded Burden $50, the maximum allowed, and the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the verdict in 1872.
Official state historical dog
A statue of Old Drum stands on the courthouse lawn in Warrensburg, Missouri. In 2017, the Missouri legislature made it official, designating Old Drum the state’s official historical dog.
Old Drum’s courtroom legacy sits alongside the internet’s other pre-digital dog legends in our famous dogs guide.
Frequently asked questions
What breed was Old Drum?
Old Drum was a hunting hound, commonly described as a black-and-tan foxhound-type dog, owned by Missouri farmer Charles Burden.
What court case made Old Drum famous?
Burden v. Hornsby, an 1869–1870 Missouri lawsuit over Old Drum’s killing, whose closing argument by lawyer George Graham Vest is credited with popularizing the phrase “man’s best friend.”
Is Old Drum an official state symbol?
Yes — the Missouri legislature designated Old Drum the state’s official historical dog in 2017.
