Stop the presses, stop the presses! The Milwaukee Brewers held a press conference on Friday to address the recent conspiracy theory that Hank the Dog, the team’s unofficial mascot, had been replaced by an imposter. Hank is alive and there has been no hoax perpetrated on our culture by the Brewers.
Microchip inserted in @BrewersHank in 2014…Matches the one tested March 3. Hank 1 is the only one! @WISN12News pic.twitter.com/wLPB0eYakP
— Ben Hutchison (@Ben__Hutchison) March 4, 2016
Veterinarian Dr. William S. Rice of Lakeside Animal Hospital, who’s been in charge of Hank’s medical care since 2014, confirmed the dog’s identity by comparing previous and current dental records. More importantly, a microchip that was implanted in Hank during his adoption was scanned and the identification number matched the one registered in the clinic’s database.
Just in case anyone was still skeptical, Dr. Nancy Weiss of the Wisconsin Humane Society also scanned the microchip to confirm that Hank is actually Hank and not a replacement Hank.
Seen here, Hank the Ballpark Pup "waving" to assembled media. pic.twitter.com/Pzxa7GHaFJ
— Jimmy Carlton (@jimmycarlton88) March 4, 2016
To further confirm Hank’s identity and verify both the dental records check and microchip scan, a notarized letter from Dr. Rice was presented to the press on hand. It’s the same dog that the Brewers adopted in Maryvale, Ariz. two years ago after he wandered into their spring camp as a stray.
Here it is, the un-smoking gun. Proof of Hank the Dog's true identity. #HankTheDog #Brewers #DogPressConference pic.twitter.com/QcgerhyrD6
— Jimmy Carlton (@jimmycarlton88) March 4, 2016
Just to reiterate, a Major League Baseball team held a press conference in 2016 to discuss the identity of a dog that is an unofficial mascot for a professional sports organization, confirming that the animal is real and a hoax is not being staged for Brewers and baseball fans. Microchips, dental records and notarized letters were provided as proof.
How did this whole conspiracy theory begin? Recent photos of Hank seemed to show a different dog. Take a look for yourself.
https://twitter.com/akschaaf/status/675130895221841920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“We couldn’t ignore the dissimilarities, and while we all had a good laugh at the theory, we wanted to take the steps to reassure everyone through absolute proof that there was no Hank double,” said Brewers chief operating officer Rick Schlesinger. “Hank is part of the Brewers family, and if anything, the interest in today’s story shows how one stray dog can capture the hearts of a community. Along those lines, we knew that this would be a great opportunity to work with our friends at the Wisconsin Humane Society to deliver important messages about animal care, tracking and adoption.”
The dogs do look different in those photos, but that could be because of camera filters, lighting, etc. Apparently, Hank looks like a new dog because the Brewers have been taking such good care of him since adopting him.
“In Hank’s case, it’s evident that his transformation is solely due to the loving care he receives from his family,” said Wisconsin Humane Society president and CEO Anne Reed. “In addition, Hank was microchipped and a simple scan of a chip can reveal an animal’s identification. This technology not only helps to reunite lost animals with their families, but in Hanks’s case, verifies that he is indeed the true Hank.”
Conspiracy theories can be healthy, showing that people are willing to challenge authority and conventional wisdom. Of course, they can also be silly. Especially early in spring training. But now, the Brewers and a nation of baseball fans can move on with Hank the Dog leading the way.
