Vet Care Cost Dogs Governor

Willie, the canine companion to Gov. William Donald Schaefer, has received $600 worth of veterinary care at taxpayer expense, a Schaefer aide said Thursday.

Frank Traynor, the governor’s press secretary, said the canine unit of the Maryland State Police paid for Willie’s neutering and other treatment because the black Labrador underwent some state police training several years ago.

Willie “is a nice, lovable companion,” Traynor said. “He is also a state police dog who has been trained by the state police.”

The person who trained the dog, retired state police Sgt. Donald Murphy, said that much of Willie’s training consisted of simple housebreaking, rather than the more-specialized instruction he gave other police dogs.

“The only thing I taught him was obedience,” Murphy said. “He’s not a dumb dog, he’s just fat.”