Jon Stewart Gives an Emotional Send-Off to His Three-Legged Rescue Dog, Dipper

Saying goodbye to a dog can be like losing a family member for many pet owners. And if you're lucky enough to find that one, special dog that only comes around once in a lifetime, the grief is only amplified. Such was the case for Jon Stewart, who ended Monday night's Daily Show—his third stint since taking over the role—by paying a tearful tribute to his family's rescue dog, Dipper.

As Stewart explained, Dipper came into his family's lives about 12 or 13 years ago, when his kids wanted to raise money for a New York City no-kill animal shelter by selling cupcakes outside. As an extra incentive, the shelter workers brought out a "one-ish-year-old brindle pit bull" who had been hit by a car in Brooklyn and lost his right leg, he said, stopping to reach for a box of tissues.

"I thought I'd get further," Stewart said, attempting to muster a laugh. "So it was a perfect idea. They put the dog in my lap ... and we left that day feeling really good that we helped this great organization, and we also left with this one-ish-year-old brindle pit bull, we called him Dipper."

"And in a world of good boys, he was the best," Stewart continued through tears.

He recalled how Dipper would accompany him to work and became "part of the OG Daily Show dog crew." During his tenure. behind the scenes, Stewart recalled how Dipper would wait for him to be done taping every day and met countless actors, authors, presidents, and kings.

"He did what the Taliban could not do, which is put a scare into [Pakistani education activist] Malala Yousafzai," the 61-year-old quipped, running a clip of Yousafzai encountering Dipper in a hallway and nearly bolting in the other direction.

"Dipper passed away yesterday. He was ready, he was tired," Stewart then revealed through sobs. "I wasn't."

"And the family were all together, thank goodness, we were all with him," he added. "But boy, my wish for you is one day, you find that dog. That one dog that just, is the best."

As if that emotional journey already likely didn't leave a dry eye in the house, Stewart then concluded the show with a Moment of Zen dedicated to Dipper with an old video clip of the pair playing in the snow, in happier times. Suffice to say, it seems as though Dipper lived a long and good life with Stewart's family.