Most Vermonters know the Morgan horse, hermit thrush and honeybee are three critters currently on the list of “state things” that represent Vermont, along with the apple and painted turtle. And if a Vermont lawmaker has his way, a bill recently sent to the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee could add a new face to the mix. If passed, his proposed Beagle Bill would designate everyone’s favorite hunting hound as the Vermont State Dog, letting us join ranks with eleven other states that have canine mascots. The medium-sized hound, famous for its nose, stamina and baying voice, could become our own Green Mountain Snoopy.
The bill is being promoted by a core of Northeast Kingdom beagle fans who love their hunting dogs, and it’s received much attention from the press. A senate bill with high human interest value is bound to catch the hearts and minds of constituents more readily than, say, one on solid waste management or the creation of a payment system for home health services - both pieces of legislation under consideration alongside the Beagle Bill.
I’m a dog lover and I confess that I was definitely drawn to the concept, but the idea of having to choose a breed got my dander up. While all the other state dogs are purebred pooches that include the Great Dane, Boston Terrier and Alaskan Malamute, I’d like to see our legislators stand up for the American Shelter Dog. These mixed breeds are easy to find in all our local shelters - and they cost next to nothing with no kennel club registrations or fancy papers of lineage to contend with. And while they come in all colors, shapes and sizes, they have one thing in common - every single one of them needs a home.
Vermont has a long tradition of siding with the underdog, so to speak. We’re one of only two states that allow prison inmates to vote. In 1997, we passed a law that used money from affluent towns to help fund the education of students in less affluent towns. Our outspoken independent senator in Washington is famous for standing up for the Little Guy. And let’s face it, shelter dogs are the Little Guys of the canine world.
I like beagles, but I suggest that when faced with naming a state dog, our lawmakers consider the powerful message they would send to the rest of the country by choosing the iconic shelter dog without a pedigree to be our state’s representative. It just might give homeless pooches that prized Vermont cachet as The New Breed in Town.
