Popular Fenway fixture Drago the German shepherd dies at 10

By BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer

For almost a decade, Drago the German shepherd was a popular presence at Fenway Park. He was the service dog of head groundskeeper Dave Mellor and loved to roam the outfield grass near the Green Monster and rest on the pitcher’s mound. Last week, Drago had a stroke and died at age 10. Mellor said he was “absolutely heartbroken” by the loss. Drago was always near Mellor’s side, on and off the field. Mellor twice in his life was hit by cars, necessitating dozens of surgeries, and Drago helped him cope with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Mellor said one of Drago’s sons, Keeper, will become his service dog after completing his training.