The SideshowMutts no more. In D.C., they call them ‘Xoloitzcuintli’
Say you've got a dog and you're not sure what breed it is. Maybe it's part poodle? With a little bit of Labrador? And it drools a lot, so maybe there's some St. Bernard mixed into the DNA?
Most people call these dogs "mutts." But in Washington, D.C., owners are being asked to refer to them as "Xoloitzcuintli" when filling out pet-licensing paperwork with the District's health department, according to the Washington Post.
[Related: Dog owner retrieves $100 bills swallowed by pet]
Letters explaining the name change were sent to D.C. dog owners.
Via the Washington Post:
"Our new system requires a primary breed be entered. If your dog was previously entered as a ‘Mix,’ the pet is now entered as a Xoloitzcuintli (a rare, hairless dog)."
OK, but why? According to the Washington Post, the breed finder is used in the event a dog becomes lost. But, as the Post puts it, "it’s not at all clear how listing a non-Xoloitzcuintli dog as a Xoloitzcuintli—that’s pronounced show-low-eats-QUEENT-lee—will help anyone find anything."
A phone call to the health department was not immediately returned.
