Mooch and Earl Weigh in on the First Puppy

Barack Obama's promise to get his daughters a puppy during his acceptance speech set off a flurry of discussion about just what kind of pooch the new First Family should bring to the White House. Still one of the most burning questions about the Obama’s “transition,” the family’s pet pursuit is now making headlines in the comics pages as well.

Beginning Monday, December 8, MUTTS creator Patrick McDonnell is featuring a weeklong storyline in his popular comic strip, advocating that the new First Puppy be a shelter dog.

McDonnell has long been a tireless animal welfare advocate, so it comes as no surprise that he is lobbying the president-elect to adopt a dog from a shelter. The excitement shown by the strip’s lovable characters, Mooch the cat and Earl the dog, mirrors the nation’s truly overwhelming interest in the Obamas desire to get a rescue dog.

McDonnell has long been a tireless animal welfare advocate and has received national recognition for his efforts, including three Genesis Awards from The Humane Society of the United States. Twice a year during the past decade, he has created a special MUTTS “Shelter Series” storyline lauding the efforts of the staff and volunteers who rescue and care for the more than six million abused, neglected and abandoned animals who find themselves in shelters all across the United States.

McDonnell gave these innocent animals a voice in his book Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed. (Andrews McMeel Publishing). Along with an inspiring introduction by Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, this collection combines more than 100 of the best of McDonnell’s “Shelter Stories” strips, 70 candid photos of the animals lucky enough to have found loving homes, descriptions from the kindhearted souls who saved them and a reference guide filled with tips for adopting the right pet. In addition, McDonnell also includes many useful links that encourage readers to, as he puts it, “adopt some love today.” McDonnell’s comic strips are distributed by King Features Syndicate to more than 700 newspapers worldwide and appear online at www.muttscomics.com