Need a name for your pet? Call the Alaska State Troopers. They report they were happy to oblige when an animal shelter in Kentucky contacted them about a litter of puppies it wanted to celebrate. As a subsequent press release from the state agency spun the story, it was all about the uplifting aspects of the reality TV show "Alaska State Troopers."
"Inspired by the show on the National Geographic channel," the press release said, "the Humane Society of Nelson County in Bardstown, Ky., named six puppies after troopers, most of whom were featured on the show."
Well, at least some of the puppies were named by the Humane Society. As it turns out, according to the very same press release from the state of Alaska, the "junior volunteers'' who decided to name a litter of blue heelers after Trooper show stars only knew the names of two troopers. "They promptly named the two males Trooper Dan Dahl and Trooper Howie Peterson," the press release said. "The Trooper Dan puppy is mostly brown and aptly named after the only brown shirt of the brown shirt of the bunch."
Don't panic if you're someone reading this Outside. The "brown shirts'' in Alaska have no connection to the historically infamous brownshirts. The term "brown shirts'' in the 49th state is used solely to distinguish the officers in brown uniforms, who focus on enforcing fish and wildlife laws, from those in blue shirts, who focus on enforcing traffic and other laws.
Unfortunately, blue or brown, the kids in Kentucky knew the names of only two troopers. So the animal shelter's "education coordinator,'' according to the press release, "contacted the AST Public Information Office for four names for the females left in the litter. Trooper Aileen has black around her eye that resembles a bruise, Trooper Amy is multi-colored and Trooper Anne and Trooper Honie are both mostly silver. Trooper Honie has a black smudge above her eye. Troopers Aileen Witrosky, Amy Bowen and Anne Sears are also featured on the show,'' but apparently didn't get to have puppies named for them.
Why the markings of the puppies matter is unclear, given that the press release says "the puppies were randomly named without any consideration for their personality or likeness. Trooper Howie is almost all black."Whether that is Trooper Howie the puppy or Trooper Howie the trooper, the press release does not say. But regular watchers of "Alaska State Troopers'' surely know.
And for everyone else, what better excuse to tune in.
Contact Craig Medred at craig(at)alaskadispatch.com