Sculptor Renate Fackler (center) with bronze “Muggs”

Renate Fackler was commissioned by the family of James Thurber and Thurber House to create a bronze sculpture of James Thurber’s mother’s dog, known as “Muggs, The Dog that Bit People.” Muggs, an Airedale terrier, bit the mailman, the milk man and even the mayor! James’s mother, Mame, would bake treats every Christmas for all of the people Muggs bit—including the lieutenant governor! Muggs was made famous in the writings and cartoon illustrations by James Thurber, a humorist, cartoonist, author, playwright, and journalist known for his quirky and relatable characters and themes. The beautiful life-sized sculpture of Muggs, sculpted, then poured in bronze, was dedicated August 28, 2021 and sits atop a tall granite pedestal at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio for all to enjoy. On the pedestal are the words “Cave Canum” which means “Beware of the Dog,” He proudly watches over the gravesites of the Thurber family as he now has his place beside them all.