Murphy, the dog, gets his summons

Murphy, 3, is cute, neutered, and eats anything.

So when Stephen Dean, 48, received a Newton Police Department leash law and dog license violation addressed directly to his furry companion, he was stumped.

Besides being a golden retriever, he said yesterday, Murphy has no income.

''How can he pay it?" asked Dean. ''He probably doesn't even understand it."

When Dean took Murphy's violation to Newton District Court last week, the clerks were perplexed and amused as well, advising Dean to sign the violation on Murphy's behalf and request a hearing.

No court date has been set. Murphy, of course, had no comment.

In an age when courts hear too many of life's grim tales, Murphy's story brought some badly needed chuckles that resonated nationwide.

By 2:30 p.m. yesterday, Murphy's story was on 141 websites from Florida to Hawaii.

''Dog has his day -- in court," was the most popular headline.

The saga began in March while Dean, of Newton, was dog-sitting a neighbor's puppy but had only one leash for both dogs.

So Murphy walked freely while the flailing puppy went leashed.

Animal control officer John O'Connell saw the offense and ticketed Dean for both a violation of the town's leash laws and for not having a current dog license.

On June 3, on a short walk from his auctioneer business to a Mail Boxes Etc., Dean was spotted by O'Connell walking with a leash-free Murphy.

Dean says the officer never asked him his name and instead relied upon Murphy's new license tags, which gave the dog's single name.

Hence, Dean said, the mail mix-up.

Police disagree.

''The animal control officer issued a citation based upon information that he received from the person walking the dog," said Lieutenant Bruce Apotheker.

''That information. . . . led him to believe that Mr. Murphy was the owner of the dog, and not the dog," he said.

Dogs are often seen accompanying their owners in Newton District Court, but rarely if ever as participants in the legal process, according to Clerk Magistrate Henry H. Shultz.

But when the hearing is held, Shultz pledged, ''Murphy will be treated like one of God's creatures -- with dignity."