August 22, 2026

Lady Greyhound, the Dog Who Worked in PR

For nine years, Greyhound Bus Company's famous spokesdog traveled across America, opened bus stations, worked with charities, and built a fan club of more than 500,000 people.

Lady Greyhound had her own quirky way of opening a new bus station. Instead of the usual ribbon-cutting, she would munch her way through a ribbon made of dog biscuits. This was just one of the fun tasks that came with being the most famous face of the Greyhound Bus Company.

Lady Greyhound was born in Clay Center, Kansas, in 1957 and got her first big break that same year, appearing in a Greyhound TV commercial during The Steve Allen Show. She was initially named "Steverino" after Allen, and took to show business rather well. She was crowned Queen of National Dog Week by the Dog Welfare Guild, had reporters "interview" her, and soon enough, fan clubs sprang up with over 500,000 members. She even had a stuffed toy made in her honor.

When Greyhound stopped sponsoring The Steve Allen Show, it was time for the famous dog to need a rebrand. So Steverino became Lady Greyhound, and her career kept going. Traveling across the country with her manager, Lorraine D'Essen, she showed up at new bus terminals, parades, charity events, and public functions. Whenever a new station opened, Lady Greyhound was the go-to dog to chomp through that biscuit ribbon herself. At one station opening in Detroit, around 1,500 fans showed up just to see her and snag a "paw-tograph." She even made it to the White House.

Lady Greyhound was treated like the star she was. At the height of her career, she was insured for $300,000 by Lloyd's of London. And she was a very busy spokedog. Her work went way beyond promoting bus travel. She visited hospitals and nursing homes, represented charities, and became the face of public campaigns, including one in Philadelphia about safety. She also worked with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and participated in World Animal Day events.

Then came the titles. Lady Greyhound was named Outstanding Dog of 1961 and Queen of Transportation Week. She later became Queen of National Cat Week and was made an honorary cat for the occasion, which seems like a fairly significant professional achievement for a greyhound.

Her public appearances were pretty glamorous, too. She wore a diamond-studded tiara and collar and traveled in tailored coats and mufflers. She showed up at fashion events alongside models, and was named Lady-in-Waiting to Mrs. America. At the New York World's Fair, she mingled with guests and handed out her paw-tographs.

After having puppies, she added another title to her resume: Mother Dog of the Year. For a breed that’s mostly known for their love of lounging, Lady Greyhound certainly had a packed schedule.

In 1966, after nine busy years filled with travel, appearances, and publicity work, Lady Greyhound retired at the age of nine and moved in with Lorraine D'Essen, who had been by her side through much of her journey. But her legacy didn’t fade immediately. Greyhound brought in two younger greyhounds, one in Chicago and the other in New York, to keep the appearances and charity visits going until that campaign wrapped up in 1970. Neither matched the superstar status of their predecessor.

Lady Greyhound went from being a pup in a TV commercial to having a manager, a busy travel schedule, half a million fans, a visit to the White House, and a hefty $300,000 insurance policy. While her official title was "corporate mascot," calling her a PR powerhouse might be more fitting.

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