Jon Stewart’s emotional tribute to his late dog raises $25K for NYC animal shelter

Jon Stewart‘s emotional tribute to his late dog, Dipper, has bolstered donations to a local animal shelter.

During his weekly hosting gig on “The Daily Show,” the 61-year-old funnyman struck a somber yet sentimental tone, paying homage to the memory of Dipper. The Brindle pit bull, who previously lost one of his legs after being hit by a car in Brooklyn, was later adopted by Stewart and had been a part of his family for over 12 years.

“Dipper passed away yesterday,” he said of his faithful furry friend on Monday’s “Moment of Zen” segment. “He was ready. He was tired, but I wasn’t.”

“In a world of good boys, he was the best,” Stewart continued through tears. “He used to come to ‘The Daily Show’ every day. He was part of the OG ‘Daily Show’ dog crew. … And we’d come and tape and Dipper would wait for me to be done. He met actors and authors and presidents and kings. He did what the Taliban could not do, which is put a scare into Malala Yousafzai.”

The 22-time Emmy winner‘s tribute led to an outpouring of financial support for Animal Haven, the rescue shelter where he met his beloved pooch.

Tiffany Lacey, the executive director of the Lower Manhattan-based nonprofit, said more than 500 people sent donations totaling almost $25,000 since Stewart mentioned them on “The Daily Show.”

She told TMZ the funds will assist in providing essential resources for the no-kill shelter, including general care for their cats and dogs, veterinary services, and activities such as dog walks.

The sudden influx of donations, she said, came at a critical time for Animal Haven — which is currently at full capacity, housing more than 100 rescue animals, including a newborn litter of 20 puppies.