FOR almost 15 years Dasher "the Crown St dog" was the faithful pet of an entire Sydney suburb. Everyone from homeless people to shopkeepers and residents counted the dingo kelpie as their mate.

He was even sent postcards addressed to "Dasher the wonder dog" telling about sheep he would love in New Zealand and other adventures.

And after Sydney City Council ordered him behind his owner Jeanne-Marie Thomas' Crown St fence three years ago following a complaint, homeless people who counted Dasher as their mate joined a 180 signature petition to release him to his street position.

People power freed Dasher but Surry Hills' love affair with their own "Red Dog" ended this week when he was hit by a car as Ms Thomas' son Christopher, 30, took him to a park to jog.

2009 - Council wowsers dash Dasher's happiness in Surry Hills

The front of Ms Thomas' home was a shrine yesterday filled with candles and cards and his outline, messages of condolence and a date of death was chalked where Dasher spent so many years waiting for pats.

Did you ever meet Dasher? Tell us below

Passersby broke down in tears and one man became emotional as he told his parrot Cleopatra that Dasher was dead."It all started years and years ago, there was a bus stop here, he thought if I come out, people are waiting for the bus, they're going to give me a pat. He became addicted to it, he did it full-time," Ms Thomas said.

"He was a community dog. He gave a lot of love to people, we shared him around."

Ms Thomas said Dasher had more Facebook friends than she did and he had hundreds of followers at his Twitter account @CrownStreetDog.

Friend Dawn Dyer said: "He was part of the Surry Hills community, I have been here for 12½ years years and Dasher has just been a big part of all our lives. Clover Moore wanted to have Dasher off the street, there were petitions so they didn't have to lock Dasher away any more."

Originally published as RIP Dasher, Red Dog of Surry Hills