Judge won’t let man call himself ‘Boomer the Dog’

PITTSBURGH — Saying it would be too confusing, a judge has denied the petition of a so-called “furry” to legally change his name to Boomer the Dog.

Forty-four-year-old Green Tree resident Gary Guy Mathews says he filed for the name change in June because he's a fan of a short-lived 1980s NBC television series called "Here's Boomer," which featured a dog that rescued people.

Common Pleas Judge Ronald Folino denied the request late Wednesday. He says it could have resulted in "confusion in the marketplace," including in business records and public documents. He also says the name could confuse an emergency dispatcher during a crisis.

Larry Roberts  /  AP

Gary Guy Mathews displays his dog collar as he leaves Motions Court at the City-County Building in Pittsburgh, after petitioning to legally change his name to Boomer the Dog.

Mathews' phone was busy Wednesday night, and he couldn't be reached by the Associated Press for comment on the ruling.

In an e-mail to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mathews wrote that he expected the rejection.

"Doggone it, well I wasn't too confident about it going through at this stage, just from the vibe that I was getting in the courtroom," Mathews wrote. "Right now I'm not sure what I'm going to do next, I'll just have to look into it. All I know is that I've been trying to realize my identity for a long time, like many people have I guess."

Mathews has said he is a “furry fan” — people who attribute human characteristics to animals, and vice versa. Like other ardent followers, Mathews often attends conventions and social gatherings.