Pa. judge denies man’s petition to legally change his name to ‘Boomer the Dog’
By APWednesday, August 11, 2010
Man’s bid to change name to ‘Boomer the Dog’ nixed
PITTSBURGH — A judge has denied a Pittsburgh-area man’s petition to legally change his name to “Boomer the Dog.” Forty-four-year-old Gary Guy Mathews, of Green Tree, said he filed for the name change in June because he is a fan of a short-lived NBC television series called “Here’s Boomer” that featured a dog who rescued people.
Common Pleas Judge Ronald Folino, however, denied the request in a 1 1/2-page ruling late Wednesday. He said it could result in “confusion in the marketplace,” including in business records and public documents. The judge also said the name could confuse an emergency dispatcher during a crisis.
Mathews’ phone was busy Wednesday night and he could not immediately be reached for comment on the ruling.
Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, www.post-gazette.com
