Muggins, a famed dog who helped raise money for the Red Cross during the First and Second World Wars, will soon have a place of honour at a Victoria legion.
The Trafalgar/Pro Patricia Legion is set to display the stuffed, purebred Spitz to the public on Aug. 30 and Sept. 20.
Mugginssa国际传媒� philanthropic efforts began in 1914.
As Canadian soldiers dodged cannon fire and a never-ending onslaught of bullets, the dog roamed Victoriasa国际传媒檚 streets unaccompanied, collecting money to help those affected by the brutal fighting that was taking place in Europe.
A stand in front of the Empress Hotel, where Muggins started and ended his frequent fundraising efforts, displayed a sign that read: sa国际传媒淚'm not chained to my job; I'm just doing my bit. Have you done yours?sa国际传媒�
On his jaunts, the dog sported two donation boxes strapped to his back where passing pedestrians would drop donations.
sa国际传媒淗e would know when his cans were full by the weight, so when they weighed a certain amount, he would go back home,sa国际传媒� said Alice Ross, the Trafalgar/Pro Patricia Legionsa国际传媒檚 membership and honours and awards chair. sa国际传媒淢uggins was a very smart little guy.sa国际传媒�
The Red Cross received every cent the dog raised, which, in todaysa国际传媒檚 dollars, amounted to a whopping $400,000.
Thanks to his efforts, Muggins became a minor celebrity.
Legend has it, disembarking cruise ship passengers would ask to meet the fluffy pooch.
Muggins received eight awards for his invaluable efforts, including ones from the American and French Red Cross.
He even met the Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VIII, and Canadian general Sir Arthur Currie, who commanded the Canadian Corps from 1917 to 1919.
Owned by wealthy philanthropist G.W. Woodward, the dutiful dog was born in 1913 sa国际传媒� just one year before the Great War erupted sa国际传媒� and died in 1920 after catching pneumonia.
To preserve him, Muggins was taxidermized and put in storage, until the outbreak of the Second World War when the Red Cross Superfluities Store on Government Street put the dog on display to inspire donations.
After that conflict drew to a close, Muggins' story gets muddy. Nobody knew for sure where he was being kept, until 2021 when a View Royal couple found the dog in their attic.
sa国际传媒淗e was lost there for a while and they found him again up in the attic where he had been for quite some time,sa国际传媒� said Ross. sa国际传媒淭he house was sold a couple times and nobody bothered to look in the attic and one day they did, and there was Muggins.sa国际传媒�
Eventually, the pooch wound up on display at the Lieutenant-Governorsa国际传媒檚 House.
This week, 111-year-old Muggins will be moved again, this time to the Trafalgar/Pro Patricia Legion sa国际传媒� the heroic dog's forever home.
