Hare of the Dog?

By John Buffaloe

When a concerned citizen called the WW tipline to complain that Walgreens on Southeast 39th Avenue and Belmont Street was selling "dead puppies," potential moral outrage was eclipsed only by prurient intrigue.

Phone calls yielded firm denials from the store--a manager added that anyone caught engaging in such debased behavior would be escorted off the premises.

However, further investigation revealed that Walgreens was selling toy puppies made from real rabbit fur. We asked an employee whether they thought it might be considered slightly distasteful to sell skinned bunnies in the guise of cute puppy dogs. The employee said, "No."

Shortly after WW began its inquiries, the offending canines, which retailed for $7.99 and came in a choice of brown or black, were removed from the shelves. Walgreens employees, though not especially eager to comment further, admitted that some customers had complained about the ersatz beasts.

And who could blame them? Who can say where this quest for tactile realism will lead? Can pigskin Cabbage Patch kids be far behind?

WWeek 2015

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