Scout was a real internet star Pit Bull, loved by millions of internet users over the years.
But on June 29, the ambassador for "dangerous" dogs passed away with his whole family gathered round him. He had been suffering from epilepsy and an advanced form of diabetes for a year.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Jul 5, 2016 at 9:10am PDT
Jen Gillen, his human, did all she could to give him the best possible end to his life. But when he completely lost his appetite, she made the difficult decision to put an end to his suffering.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on May 15, 2016 at 4:40pm PDT
Scout crafted a worldwide reputation based upon his incredible ability to balance all manner of objects on his head, without ever dropping them.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Jun 23, 2016 at 5:18am PDT
Food was his speciality: slices of pizza, fruit, doughnuts, cheese, chips... Every new photo of Scout on his Tumblr went viral immediately.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Aug 31, 2015 at 5:18am PDT
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Mar 20, 2015 at 11:07am PDT
But the Pit Bill didn't always have such a happy life. Earlier on in his life, he was badly neglected and mistreated by his first owner. When Jen Gillen welcomed him into her home, the pair developed a very special relationship and were soon inseparable.
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A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on May 10, 2016 at 8:13pm PDT
Jen said:
Scout came into my life and provided me with the first time in my life I had to really truly devote myself to someone other than myself and put selfish tendencies aside. Finding Scout and having such a bond and working through his quirks like any rescue pup and overcoming all sorts of issues, behavioural and otherwise taught me more about myself than it did about him. Where would I be without such a best friend for the last 6 years or so? I’m not too certain, but I know the other aspects of my life wouldn’t have flourished as much and I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am without him.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Jun 5, 2015 at 5:29am PDT
But Scout was no circus dog. He quickly became an ambassador for Pit Bulls and by extension, for all so-called "dangerous" dog breeds. This partly explains the phenomenal success of the adorable dog's photos: in spite of his difficult past, Scott showed the world that Pit Bulls are in fact friendly beasts, full of gentleness, patience and tenderness. This was always the powerful message that Jen Gillen wanted to spread with the funny compositions she composed with the help of her companion.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Apr 20, 2015 at 10:01am PDT
A few days after his death, the young woman dedicated a moving tribute to Scout:
Last Wednesday after a tough year so far, Scout has passed peacefully. It’s taken a week for me to find the right wording to break the news and I don’t even think this does him justice. I wish you all could have given him a hug as a final goodbye [...] I swear he was fuelled through the last few months by love entirely.
A photo posted by jen gillen (@stuffonscoutshead) on Jul 6, 2016 at 11:11am PDT
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