Search for Mr. Right has Gone to the Dogs
By Valerie Gibson
They may be few and far between these days but occasionally I meet a Mr. Right.
Which I did recently when I was visiting New York.
It's not that I feel I'm overly picky but, like most single women today (and, hey, a lot of men too), I guess I've got a "list" of requirements regarding a prospective partner. But although I admit the usual ones of "tall, dark, handsome and rich" might lurk somewhere on that list, albeit at the bottom, way above these is such essential stuff to me as funny, intelligent, creative and with a passion for animals and nature.
Especially animals.
So even before I met cartoonist Patrick McDonnell, I knew he was all these plus he has a kind, generous heart.
That's because anyone can tell this from the delightful comic strip he creates 'Mutts' which is one of the the world's most loved and most successful cartoon series.
It features Earl the dog and Mooch the cat, two very lovable characters that definitely look at the world from their own animal point of view rather than as "pets-as-people".
It's a strip that, despite its relatively recent creation in 1994, has already gathered numerous top honours from the cartooning and comic book industry and won devoted fans all over the world.
The late Charles Schulz, creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip, said Mutts is "one of best comic strips of all time." Which is praise indeed, especially as far as McDonnell is concerned. "I was mesmerized by the early cartoons such as 'Peanuts', 'Popeye' (E.C. Segar) and 'Krazy Kat' (George Herriman)," he says, "and being a cartoonist was something I've wanted to do since I was three or four years old."
We met while in New York judging a Design Against Fur poster competition organized by the Fur Free Alliance and the Humane Society of the United States. We bonded right away. But that's easy to do when you're both avid animal and nature lovers and with his easygoing and humourous nature, McDonnell obviously endears himself to everyone.
"He's a wonderful man," said Pat Regan, director, Humane Society of the U.S. Fur Free Century Campaign. "And he's loved and respected not just by humane societies but with animal shelters everywhere as he often uses his comic strip to help raise awareness of homeless and abused animals."
In fact, he's won the Ark Trust's Genesis Award several times for "outstanding contribution to animal protection by a cartoonist" and is now also a member of the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of the U.S. because of his work.
McDonnell fervently believes humans should take great care of all animals. "It's tough for them on this planet," he says and smiles when I ask if he has pets like Earl and Mooch.
"My dog's called Earl, of course, but I actually got him after Mutts began and there's also a cat called MeeMow."
He now lives in New Jersey where he was born. Er, when? I ask. 1956, he says. I smile. A younger man, no less! He tells me he graduated with a bachelor's degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York and his first job was a plum one illustrating Russell Baker's column for The New York Times Magazine, a job he held for 10 years.
The Mutts strip was an extension of a little white dog character he'd used before. "I always knew he'd be the star," he says. Now there are eight books featuring the collections and he's busy finalizing a hardcover book that will be coming out in fall titled "The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell".
Since the strip is so popular I say I'm surprised there isn't Mutts merchandise everywhere. Is he against the idea?
"No, but I wanted to take it slowly and not overdo it." he explains and with his new web site there's plenty of T-shirts and prints for Mutts fans.
Which is as much of Patrick McDonnell as I'll be able to get it seems, because, yesh, as usual these days when I meet a Mr. Right, he's Mr. Wrong, as he's happily married.
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