I Fought the Dog and the Dog Won

Several months back, a photo of an adorable, black and white Boston terrier found it’s way into an ad that ran in West Of. The small ad was for a local doggy daycare and obedience trainer and featured a photo of him wearing a little, black, leather biker vest, red bandana, and sunglasses. He was being patted down by a police officer and it read something like “Don’t wait until it’s too late …”
As it turns out, the dog in the photo is “Chopper The Biker Dog” and he’s somewhat of a celebrity on the West Coast and worldwide. And while he shows up on certain royalty-free image sites that West Of uses regularly for images in ads, this particular photograph of Chopper was not one of the ones available for public use.
Shortly thereafter West Of received a letter form Mark Shaffer, Chopper’s owner, informing us that the use of the image was a copyright violation and that we would be hearing from his attorney. And we did.
So how did a small 1/8 of a page ad that ran one time in the West Ashley community newspaper make it all the way to Chopper’s door in California? Well, that’s a testament to the power of social media. And more importantly, it’s a testament to the appeal of Chopper, who as it turns out, is much more than a just a celebrity pooch. He’s pretty much a legend.
Shaffer had trained Chopper’s predecessor Bandit (also a Boston terrier) to literally ride a miniature remote controlled Harley Davidson. This trick makes Bandit a hit at charity events, retirement communities, children’s and veteran’s hospitals, Toys For Tots drives, and anywhere else where the mere site of a Boston terrier dressed as a biker and riding a motorcycle could bring a smile to someone.
Sadly in 2008, Bandit died at 7 years old and a void was left, not only for Shaffer but for many in the San Diego area who knew the tiny biker dog. “It took me quite a while to move forward to find another dog. I knew I wanted to continue Bandit’s legacy of being a biker dog, but I had to make sure that I could accept the fact that the new puppy I bring home, may not like to ride on a little Harley,” said Shaffer. “It took me a year before I decided to move forward in finding another little Biker Dog.”
In November of 2009, Chopper and Shaffer found each other. He was only three months old at the time. One month later, Chopper was invited to his very first public appearance. It just so happened to be the same event that was Bandit’s last — a Christmas party for less-fortunate/needy families put on by  “The Nice Guys,” a San Diego-based civic group.
“That was the day I first put Chopper on the little Harley. It was as if Bandit’s spirit was riding right there with him,” said Shaffer.
After talking with Shaffer, his lawyer, and a local copyright attorney, it was clear that the last thing West Of wanted to do was end up in a legal battle with an adorable dog who has more than 100,000 Facebook followers and dedicates his time helping Wounded Warriors, disabled children, the sick, and the elderly.
After reaching out to Shaffer and discussing our commitments to the respective communities in which we love and our mutual love of dogs (particularly bully breeds), he graciously accepted my apology for the use of Chopper’s image without his permission and agreed not to pursue any further legal action.
But that was not the end of this dog’s tale.
The incident resonated with me, not only because West Of was nearly sued by possibly the coolest rock star of a dog, but because it was a reminder of the power of media (print and social). And through the power of media, two people on opposite coasts connected — not in a courtroom, but on a very real, human level.
I learned a lot about Mark Shaffer and his amazing dog. I vowed to help let others know about the good work that he and Chopper are doing on the West Coast in hopes that it will inspire others to do similar acts of kindness in our own community.
“I get so much joy and happiness seeing what Chopper does for others,” said Shaffer. “I suffer from chronic depression, something I do not speak about, nor does anyone really know. I hide it, and try to hide it the best I can. Chopper is my therapy dog too … and seeing what he does for others, really helps me get through my days. He is my best friend! The love he shares with others, I feel that love too.”
So what’s in store for Chopper in 2015? “I will continue to do what we do best, making a difference in people’s lives,” said Shaffer. “Trying to reach more people, bring smiles and love to more people. I really want to try and raise enough donations to help chopper travel the coast of California as far north as we can go, to spread some ‘Chopper Love’ this year … or even the USA.” Who knows, maybe even one day there will be a Chopper sighting in West Ashley … and not just in the pages of West Of.
Mark Shaffer and Chopper
the Biker Dog are only able to continue the good work they do through community donations. For more information about Chopper or to make a donation to Chopper’s Fund, you can find him (and his 101,423 followers) on Facebook or visit his website at www.chopperthebikerdog.com.