The time was now.
On November 1st, the Guard Dog story began running in newspapers and on MUTTS.com. And, today, this part of Guard Dog’s journey comes to a happy ending and new beginning.
I've been promising you (and myself) for too many years that someday he would be free, and while a few animal advocates have continued to lobby that Guard Dog still has a job to do, many more agreed it was time. Freeing Guard Dog became the longest MUTTS story ever.
Telling a tale like this in a daily comic strip is a different reading experience. Media today trains us for immediate satisfaction for our dwindling attention spans. Telling a longer story with only three panels every 24 hours for seven weeks adds a lot of tension and, I’ve learned, anxiousness. I appreciated your patience and faith.
It was emotional for me, too, in writing and drawing the story — but when I think of all the horrors poor chained dogs have to endure in real life, I knew his story must be told. Guard Dog is made of pen and ink. There are far too many real dogs living chained with far worse stories to tell.
Gretchen Wyler, actress, animal activist and founder of The Ark Trust, famously said: “We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.”
I've been touched by all the comments on the MUTTS social media posts. I've always hoped readers would care about and relate to the MUTTS characters as they do their own furry loved ones. It is heartening that so many of you have written to say that Guard Dog (now Sparky) and Doozy inspired you to help a chained dog, or that one of your own dogs lived their life at the end of a chain until you gave them a loving, forever home. May this comic strip story open more hearts to help chained dogs.
For those who have wondered about Guard Dog’s new name — I wasn't sure what Doozy would call him. Initially I thought to just keep "Guard Dog" as now he would be Doozy’s guardian. But then I thought of “Sparky." Sparky was the nickname for Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts. There would never have been a MUTTS comic strip nor Guard Dog if not for his inspiration. So Guard Dog’s new name is my tribute to a great man, cartoonist, and friend.
Thank you for all your support, kind words, and love. And thank you to all the rescuers and shelter workers — the real unsung heroes.
Patrick
P.S. I’ve been getting a lot of requests to turn the Guard Dog story into a book. More on that, soon.
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If you know of a real-life Guard Dog or want to help with legislation, visit MUTTS.com/GuardDog for more information.
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