Most street dogs’ dreams come true the moment they land a forever home. But for one stray pup in Colombia, his happily-ever-after started the day he stepped on a public tennis court.
Facebook/INDER Guarne
It all started in 2014, when a stray black dog wandered into Guarne’s Institute of Sports and Recreation (INDER). The tennis instructors had never seen the dog before, but they quickly learned he was just as enthralled by the sport as they were.
“The dog is obsessed with tennis balls,” Duván Henao, one of INDER’s instructors, said in a Facebook video. “He goes crazy over them.”
Facebook/INDER Guarne
The pup, later named Roger, spent his first day at INDER chasing rogue tennis balls, with his tail wagging in delight. The instructors set out food and water for him, and when it was time for everyone to leave for the night, Roger decided to stay.
Over the next 11 years, Roger became a daily staple at INDER’s tennis court. At first, he’d show up just to chase tennis balls launched out of the court. It wasn’t until he began returning the balls to the players that his role on INDER’s tennis team was solidified.
“At first, it was hard because he didn’t really know how to retrieve the balls. He would go off running with the balls. But as time passed, he learned how to bring them back,” Henao said.
Facebook/INDER Guarne
While Roger didn’t have a house to go back to, INDER’s court became his home. The crew made a comfy area for him to rest in their office, where he would sleep soundly at night until the first tennis lesson the following morning.
Roger’s loving caregivers made sure he always had food and water, kept on top of his flea and tick medication, and had him neutered to keep the local stray dog population at bay.
Facebook/INDER Guarne
The staff loved him, and the students couldn’t get enough of his presence around the court. Before long, Roger was INDER’s official ball collector and resident good boy.
“What I love most about Roger is that he’s always active, he’s always on alert and he always wants to play,” student Tomás Ruiz said in the Facebook video. “So, we also play with him and have fun.”
You can see Roger at work here:
Roger’s handful of friends eventually turned into hundreds of admirers from around town. Everyone who encountered Roger fell instantly in love with him, and his impact on the community was undeniable.
“Everyone always comes and pets him; he is everyone’s spoiled pup,” Henao said. “When he’s no longer around, I think it will be a huge loss for everyone … “
Facebook/INDER Guarne
In 2025, 11 years after his arrival, the INDER team decided to make Roger’s presence permanent by erecting a statue in his honor. After months of planning, Roger’s statue was set to be unveiled in December, along with a party to celebrate the sweet boy.
But sadly, Roger’s health rapidly declined towards the end of the year. And on November 21, just a few weeks ahead of his statue ceremony, Roger passed away, surrounded by the INDER instructors who loved him.
“Our beloved Roger, the little dog who won everyone’s heart, is now playing in doggy Heaven, surrounded by thousands of tennis balls,” INDER Guarne wrote in a statement on Facebook. “[His] paw prints will forever be etched in our hearts.”
You can read that statement here:
A wave of heartache rippled through the community in the days after Roger’s death. Their trusted ball collector was sadly gone, but they refused to let his memory vanish from the court.
Just weeks after his death, the community gathered at INDER as planned to unveil Roger’s statue. After a tearful reading of his eulogy, the presenters uncovered Roger’s statue, revealing a stone representation of the sweet boy surrounded by tennis balls.
“This tribute isn’t just for a puppy. It’s for a colleague, a friend and a bit of Guarne history,” INDER Guarne wrote on Facebook. “A symbol that will remain right in one of his favorite places, in that space where he ran, played, watched generations of athletes grow, and gave love in the noblest of ways: by being himself.”
Watch his statue unveiling here:
Wiping away tears, the audience clapped and cheered at the sight of their beloved friend, thanking him for his loyalty over the years.
You can see more pictures of the statue here:
It’s been a few months since Roger’s passing, and the local tennis community is still adjusting to life without him. While nothing will ever replace Roger’s presence, his statue remains a symbol of the love he once brought to the court.
And for a stray dog who had nowhere to go, Roger couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.
“Roger didn’t have an owner,” an INDER representative said in a Facebook video. “He had a giant family.”
