Royal Pains Inspired Dog Names

Dr. Henry Lawson, better known as Hank, was wrongly accused of causing the death of an important patient at Brooklyn Heights Mercy Hospital. He lost his job, then his girlfriend, then his hope. It wasn’t until his brother took him to the Hamptons in order to snap him out of his rut that he found himself a home. Like Hank Lawson, Hank The Dog was lost in life when he wandered on to the fields of the spring training facility of the Major League Baseball team Milwaukee Brewers on February 17, 2014. The little white and gray Bichon type mixed breed dog was spotted by the security guards; they handed him over to Brewers coach Ed Segar, who took him inside the facility. Upon examination, it was found that the dog had been recently run over by a car, had two chipped teeth, and weighed only eleven pounds. They tried to find an owner, but nobody came forward. The Brewers got him veterinary care, let him run with the mascots in the Sausage Race, and gave him the name Hank, after Hank Aaron. His story went viral, and while over a thousand people volunteered to give the charismatic little pooch a home, the team ultimately decided that his home was with them, and he was adopted by the team’s vice-president and general counsel Marti Wronski, and by opening day in the first week of April he had gone up to fifteen pounds. 

Hank was given a doghouse at the stadium and souvenirs including stuffed dogs, bobblehead dolls, and replica jerseys. In 2015, the team mascot earned a Dog of the Year award at the World Dog Awards, attending the gala ceremony in a tailored custom tuxedo and receiving the Golden Hydrant trophy, which was presented to him by hotel heiress Paris Hilton and former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens. In 2016, his transformation from stray mutt to pampered pooch was so incredible that it sparked a theory among fans that he had been replaced by a completely new dog, a theory that the Brewers had to hold a press conference to dispute the rumor, producing dental records, microchip evidence, and a notarized letter from the veterinarian showing that the Hank that was playing the role of mascot was, indeed, the original Hank. While Hank has cut down on his appearances a great deal, spending his time focusing on being a pet, his merchandise is still available for sale at Miller Park and online with a portion of the proceeds going to the Humane Society.