A burned puppy’s rescue not only changed the life of the man who saved him, but would end up changing the lives of many other animals treated inhumanely.
Dr. Doug James and his dog Gucci changed Alabama animal cruelty laws for the better many years ago. Doug did not set out to champion animal welfare in the state. He hadn’t even planned on getting a dog. But fate intervened around 16 years ago to change that.
Doug was at home when he heard the screams of a puppy in distress. Moments later, he saw a cruel and horrific act that changed his life, and the life of the puppy he saved.
Screenshot via YouTube
He witnessed a group of teenagers beating a puppy; they strung him up in a tree and doused him with lighter fluid. As Doug approached, the teens lit the puppy on fire. Doug ran to the puppy’s aid and with the help of a neighbor, doused the flames.
He took the burned pup to the vet, not sure he would survive. But the little chow-husky mix did, and Doug decided to keep him. He called him Gucci and it took the dog a year to recover from the surgeries and burns.
The juvenile who was held responsible for the crime would end up getting 6 months in jail.
Doug said the cruelty laws were virtually non-existent back in 1994. But the cold-heartedness of the crime against Gucci prompted him to act. The professor of communications at Spring Hill College set to work to help change the animal welfare laws and with supporters in the legislator, Gucci’s bill was proposed.
It was at a reading of the State Legislator that the initiative got a real push, after Doug and Gucci were kicked out of the gallery. After that, media coverage helped give their cause lots of attention and Gucci became well known all over the state. The law was finally passed in 2000 and it was a victory for animals, although Doug still feels the laws could be tougher, even today.
Gucci passed away in 2010 after a happy life with Doug and after serving as a loyal friend and great ambassador for abused animals everywhere. Doug said of his heroic dog, “I’ve often thought if people were half as good, if I was half as good as Gucci was, it would just be a wonderful world.”
Gucci’s legacy continues to live on through a book that Doug has written about him and a new documentary film, A Dog Named Gucci, which also tells his remarkable story. Watch a short clip below and share Gucci’s lasting legacy with your friends and family.
Read more about Gucci’s story in Gucci – A Puppy’s Tale: And Other Pet Stories by Doug James available on Amazon.
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