3309: Dogcatcher

Dogcatcher

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Title text: People out here catching strays out here catching strays

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Explanation

This is one of 51 incomplete explanations: This page was created by the newly elected Minister of Dogcatching. Don't remove this notice too soon. You can help by editing the explanation!

The phrase "couldn't be elected dogcatcher" is used to refer to an incredibly unpopular subject. “Catching strays”, a metaphor for being hit by stray bullets, refers to someone insults or criticism when they weren’t the subject of the conversation.

A dogcatcher's job (that is, an animal control officer's job) includes trapping and impounding stray dogs. But Cueball believes that the use of the metaphor is offensive to animal control officers, even though the topic is not about animal control. In the USA, many city officials are elected, not appointed. Even though dog catchers are not elected, the notion continues that dogcatcher is the city office with the lowest prestige. (In recent times, the only elected dog catcher was Zeb Towne, who was elected dog catcher in Duxbury, Vermont between about 2003 and 2018.) The slang term dates from the late 19th century. Megan then makes a pun on "strays" as in stray dogs and "strays" as in stray bullets.

The title text seems like a tautology at first glance, but is actually using the same phrase first literally and then metaphorically. It could be paraphrased as "People out here trapping feral animals are being randomly insulted."

Transcript

This is one of 36 incomplete transcripts: Don't remove this notice too soon. You can help by editing the transcript!

[Ponytail, Cueball and Megan are seated at a table.]

Ponytail: Once we break this story, he won't be able to get elected dogcatcher.

Cueball: Why do we always use "dogcatcher" as the example of a worthless office? Animal control officers are valued professionals.

Cueball: It just seems unnecessarily insulting.

Megan: Well, their job is catching strays.

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Discussion

Talk:3309: Dogcatcher

f1rst p0st. sorry, cauldent resist. saw it at 4:46 mariland time, so cool! 73.132.167.116 20:47, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

seriously though, what IS the jjoke. the dogcatcher thing really is quite important. 73.132.167.116 20:48, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

I thought it was "dogwalker", are there variations? Zowayix (talk) 20:59, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

its very possable. 73.132.167.116 21:14, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

also, sorry about the first post thing, I saw it in a xkcd comic, and I haven't gotten the chance to do it ever, until I found a NEW comic with NO comments, and well, cauldent resist the temptation. 73.132.167.116 21:16, 9 October 2026 (UTC)
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