News

Inventor of the Pet Rock passes away in Oregon

By Scott Wagar

04/07/2015

Gary Dahl, who once made his home in Bottineau, and earned fame in the 1970s by creating the Pet Rock, passed away on March 23 in Jacksonville, Ore. 

Dahl was born in Bottineau and raised in Spokane, Wash. His grandparents, Richard and Mary Dahl made their home in the Bottineau area in the early 1900s. Richard was a deputy and meat cutter, while Mary was a cook at the Stone Hotel in Bottineau. 

The couple had four children, which include Richard II, who was employed at the Bottineau Theatre, and married LaVone Ferm of Souris. 

Richard II and LaVone had five kids that included Gary and who after living and being educated in Spokane moved to Los Gatos, Calif., where he was a freelance copy editor. 

In 1975, Dahl was barely making a living as a copy editor when he came up with the idea of a pet rock after listening to his friend complain about caring for their pets. While listening, he stated that his pet needed no care because he had a pet rock. 

Within just a few months of Dahl creating and promoting the pet rock, he became a millionaire with the idea. The pet rock was a smooth stone that was placed on straw in a box that looked like a dog carrier with holes on top of the box (which allowed the “pet” to breath in the box), along with a book of instructions filled with jokes to make people laugh.

By early February pet rocks were discontinued because of low sales, but Dahl continued on with other ideas like the Sand Breeding Kits and Red China Dirt, both of which didn’t see the success the pet rock did.

Dahl went on to work as an advertising agency owner, creative director, entrepreneur and an owner of a bar he called the Carrie Nation after the famous temperance movement member who was known for smashing up bars, a name which continued to show his sense of humor he was known for by his family, friends and peers.

Dahl died from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.