3309: Dogcatcher

Dogcatcher

|< < Prev #3309 (October 9, 2026)

Title text: People out here catching strays out here catching strays

|< < Prev Random explanation

Explanation

This is one of 51 incomplete explanations: This page was created by the newly elected Minister of Dogcatching. Don't remove this notice too soon. You can help by editing the explanation!

This comic was posted during the last month of the 2026 United States elections.

The phrase “couldn't be elected dogcatcher” refers to an incredibly unpopular person, and dates from the late 19th century. Ponytail, perhaps a journalist, says that the news they've uncovered about someone would make them that unpopular. A dogcatcher's job—that is, an animal control officer's job—includes trapping and impounding stray dogs. But Cueball believes that the use of the metaphor is offensive to animal control officers, even though the topic is not about animal control. In the USA, many city officials are elected, not appointed, and even though dog catchers are not elected, the notion continues that dogcatcher is the city office with the lowest prestige. In recent times, the only elected dog catcher was Zeb Towne, who was elected dog catcher in Duxbury, Vermont between about 2003 and 2018.

“Catching strays”, a metaphor inspired by the act of being hit by stray bullets, refers to someone receiving insults or criticism when they weren’t the subject of the conversation. Megan then makes a pun—the main point of the comic—on “catching strays” as in rounding up stray dogs and “catching strays” as in being hit by stray bullets.

The title text seems like an accidental repetition at first glance, but is actually using the same phrase both literally and metaphorically. It could be paraphrased as either “People out here, trapping feral animals, are being randomly insulted” or “People out here, being randomly insulted, are trapping feral animals”. The insults against them being either because of or despite the practical work done to capture animals, depending upon emphasis and perhaps the wider context.

Transcript

This is one of 36 incomplete transcripts: Don't remove this notice too soon. You can help by editing the transcript!

[Ponytail, Cueball and Megan are seated at a table.]

Ponytail: Once we break this story, he won't be able to get elected dogcatcher.

Cueball: Why do we always use "dogcatcher" as the example of a worthless office? Animal control officers are valued professionals.

Cueball: It just seems unnecessarily insulting.

Megan: Well, their job is catching strays.

  Add comment          Create topic (use sparingly)          Refresh 

Discussion

I thought it was "dogwalker", are there variations? Zowayix (talk) 20:59, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

its very possable. 73.132.167.116 21:14, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

also, sorry about the first post thing, I saw it in a xkcd comic, and I haven't gotten the chance to do it ever, until I found a NEW comic with NO comments, and well, cauldent resist the temptation. 73.132.167.116 21:16, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

The wordplay of the comic reminds me of the title text of 2071: Indirect Detection The Black Hat Guy (talk) 22:26, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

Reminds me of the radio sketch where the people actually 'rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic' (in order to create a clear path for everyone to try to get to the lifeboats) were actually quite proud of the utility of their job, instead of being the archetypal doers of useless makework in the face of other problems that they were doing nothing to help avert. And they were then casting shade on the band who were playing as the ship was doomed (archetypal selfless actions to stave off panic and descent into uncultured barbarism) for being nothing but being self-absorbed performers who weren't doing anything practical to help themselves or others get off the boat. 78.151.45.31 23:20, 9 October 2026 (UTC)

TIL! Zowayix (talk) 02:24, 10 October 2026 (UTC)
        Add comment