News

"Berserk" Dog Destroys Elvis's Teddy Bear

You don't leave a fox to watch over a henhouse, and apparently you don't leave a Doberman pinscher to watch over a collection of rare teddy bears. A guard dog named Barney went on a chewing rampage at the Wookey Hole Caves outside of Wales, England, where the stuffed animals were on display. One of the most prized teddies, named Mabel, was made in 1909 and had once belonged to Elvis Presley.

Mabel is (or was) now owned by English aristocrat Benjamin Slade, who had made the bear available to the museum at Wookey Hole Caves on a temporary loan. His prize possession, won at an auction in Memphis for at least $75,000, was decapitated during the assault by the raging Doberman.

"I've spoken to [Slade] and he is not very pleased at all," said museum general manager Daniel Medley, saying that the guard dog "just went berserk."

Barney was finally wrestled under control by security guard Greg West, but not before he had torn through almost 100 bears from a collection valued at over $900,000. West offered a few explanations, saying a "rogue scent" could have triggered the rage. "Or it could have been jealousy," West said. "I was just stroking Mabel and saying what a nice little bear she was."

The museum has learned their lesson. "Dogs are now banned from the teddy bear collection," said Medley. "[Barney] is going to be retired to a farm where he can chase chickens."

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
08.04.06