Loukanikos, the Greek dog that accompanied protestors on the front line of demonstrations in 2011 against harsh austerity measures imposed by the Greek government, has passed away. A fond farewell was penned by Petros Katsakos (in Greek) in the newspaper Avgi.

The dog was globally famous and was featured on numerous magazine front covers as a symbol of protest. The highlight of his career came when Time Magazine called “the Protestor” its 2011 Man of the Year and included the Athenian stray amongst its profiles, with a photo gallery of his participation in violent protests.

Loukanikos, the Greek word for sausage, was about ten years old. He died peacefully on the couch of the man who was watching the once stray Greek dog. His veterinarian explained that his health had been deteriorating, probably caused by repeated exposure to tear gas and chemicals used by riot police during the numerous demonstrations that Loukanikos took part in over the years.

RIP Loukanikos!