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Austin Chronicle mascot Hank was hired in 2012, shortly after Chronicle publisher Nick Barbaro and Susan Moffat adopted him from the Austin Humane Society. He comes to work every day, and he lives for his orange ball. -
He’s pretty famous. -
Our annual SXSW day party, the Hair of the 3-Legged Dog Party, is named after him, and he has his own sigil. He’s got a devoted following on Facebook (@hankthechrondog) and Instagram (@tripawhank). If you’ve been keeping an eye on our staff box in print every week, you already know just how many jobs Hank has held down during his tenure at the Chron. -
Hank is a new uncle to Omar, Chronicle graphic designer Zeke Barbaro’s puppers. Omar also comes to work sometimes, but between the naps and the puppy kisses and the chewing on branches, honestly? He’s not our most productive employee. -
Smiley is one of our senior staff: She’s lived in our atrium for more than 15 years. Hibernating now, she’s on her annual sabbatical. -
Most of our animals don’t come to work every day, although sometimes we first make their acquaintance when they’re roaming the property… -
“We called this feral cat Walter Chroncat when he was first discovered hanging out on the Chronicle property several years back. (With its rich rodent supply and field full of grackles, the little guy must have thought he hit the motherlode.) Eventually, his name morphed to Eric and he came to reside with me, where, over the years, he has grown into the most wonderful combination of domesticated pet and feral beast.” – Contributing writer and film critic Marjorie Baumgarten -
“When I got Pandaman via a poorly xeroxed ‘free cat’ flyer in 2002, I figured he was pretty damn old. In 2003, he was living in the closet of a punk house and swallowed a long, thick sewing needle. Weeks later it emerged sticking perpendicular out of a bloody turd. We thought he would die, but he wasn’t ready. In the 15 years thereafter, he’s befriended and been cared for by a curious cast of characters, but no veterinarians. These days he appears to be deaf, but he may just be sick of listening to me.” – Kevin Curtin, Playback columnist -
“Rufus is a rescue from the city shelter and, interesting fact, he’s missing half of his ear due to a bite from a brown recluse spider. He’s a senior Catahoula mix at 10 years old, and my numero uno.” – Marketing Director Sarah Wolf -
“Like most cats, Kitty aka Mama has many names. She was saved off the Austin streets when I first moved here 10 years ago. Kitty is an all-orange female tabby, which is pretty rare – most all orange cats are male.” – Marketing Director Sarah Wolf -
“Austin Pets Alive! foster Sidney Prescott is a sweet senior dog that enjoys slow walks, cozy beds, and friendly people. She’s available for adoption through APA!. She is my 9th foster dog.” – Marketing Director Sarah Wolf -
“This is our dog Maverick. His music sucks but we support him anyway because he’s such a good boy.” – David Kleppe, Advertising Executive -
Pet: Choji Human: Bobby Leath, Senior Account Executive -
Arts Listings editor Brenner’s pet tarantula, Belvedere, freshly molted on National Coming Out Day 2016 -
Pet: Viola Human: Carly Callahan, Account Executive -
“Poughkeepsie woke up like this.” – Web editor James Renovitch -
Pet: Nigel Human: Screens editor Josh Kupecki -
Pet: Hook Human: Proofreader Greg Stitt -
Pet: Tallahassee Human: Advertising Director Cassidy Frazier -
Pet: Burrito Human: News editor Chase Hoffberger -
Pet: Maisie Human: Dan Hardick, LuvDoc/Circulation/Special Events -
“We got Uno from Austin Pets Alive! where they named him Uno because he has only one toe on his right front paw.” – Web Director Brian Barry (not pictured) -
Pet: Bubba Human: Mark Fagan, Listings editor -
Pet: Max Human: Mark Fagan, Listings editor -
Pet: Pancho Human: Mark Fagan, Listings editor -
Pet: Scout Human: Gerald McLeod, Day Trips columnist -
Pet: Big D (Dallas) Human: Carolyn Phillips, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: L.B. (Lord Bingley) Human: Carolyn Phillips, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Grandpa Porcupine Human: Carolyn Phillips, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Luna Human: Jerald Corder, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Roughned Human: Jerald Corder, Senior Account Executive -
Pets: Barkeley & Cliffie Human: Staff photographer Jana Birchum -
“This is Miss Lillian Beatlesworth the Third aka Lilybug. Yes, I am that kind of cat lady.” – Marketing Manager Karena Rogers -
Pet: Murderface Human: Proofreader Kat McNevins -
Pet: Pumpkin Human: Proofreader Kat McNevins -
Pet: Smoky Human: Proofreader Kat McNevins -
“We adopted Iggy from the Austin Animal Center as a kitten. His nose was so pink it seemed to glow. He’s always been extremely devoted and sweet. He’s fascinated by CD players. If you pick up a CD or the remote he comes running. Sometimes he punches the CD player to make the disk eject. Sometimes he still acts like a wild, crazy kitten – like his namesake.” – Lois Richwine, Senior Account Executive -
“Toot was rejected by her feral mother, abandoned during the heavy rains last August. She was rescued and when we saw the photo of this tiny black and gold blot with bright green eyes, our hearts melted. Now she runs the house.” – Lois Richwine, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Thisbe Human: Editor-in-Chief Kim Jones -
“This is Sid, a two and a half year old chiweenie rescue whose favorite pastimes include long naps, begging for carrots, and fetching sticks.” – Sarah Marloff, Assistant News editor + Gay Place -
Pet: Charley Human: Mike Bartnett, Digital Strategy -
Pet: Flip Human: Elizabeth Nitz, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Izzy Human: Elizabeth Nitz, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Jack Human: Elizabeth Nitz, Senior Account Executive -
Pet: Rook Human: Elizabeth Nitz, Senior Account Executive -
“We walk Charlie twice a day, right around dawn in the Bouldin Creek ‘hood, when hardly anyone is around, then in the evenings along South Congress, where boatloads of people see him and compliment him and ask if they can pet him and sometimes just shout out, ‘Lassie!’ (He clearly has some collie in him, as well as some German Shepherd, so I think of Charlie as the love child of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.) The folks who live and work on SoCo adore him the most and call out his name whenever he shows up. He’s so beloved that a couple of years ago, one street guy who was a regular in the area for a while dubbed Charlie ‘the Mayor of South Congress.’” – Arts editor Robert Faires -
Pet: Choco Human: Operations coordinator Kristine Tofte -
Pet: Molly Human: Operations coordinator Kristine Tofte -
Shannon Stout, wife of Art Director Jason Stout, with Sevi, Cloverfield, and Cocoa -
Shannon Stout, wife of Art Director Jason Stout, with chickens Anita, Miranda, and Cleo -
“That’s Tiny and Slacker: Tiny showing her love for Slacker by using him as a bed. Slacker left a cat-sized hole in our hearts last year when we had to make the toughest decision of all.” – Staff writer Richard Whittaker -
“There’s no tougher dog than Trixie, a trooper who went through hell before she brought joy into our home, and is never happier than when she has a stolen sock or 10.” – Staff writer Richard Whittaker -
Pets: Charlie and Mila Human: Marc Savlov, contributing writer and film critic -
Pet: Mogwai Human: Marc Savlov, contributing writer and film critic Lou Reed: Lou Reed -
Basil and Hank -
OG Chrondog Belton (left) at the Finding Day pageant -
Rollo Banks, the great tattoo pioneer and godfather of the Austin tattoo boom, was also the Chronicle’s peerless “cover master” for a period in the Eighties and Nineties, during which time he drew all our Chinese New Year covers. His Year of the Dog cover uses cartoon panels to tell the sad story of how Nick Barbaro and Susan Moffat first found Belton, how he became Barbaro’s first office pet, and how Rollo’s former wife Margaret Moser would prepare nachos for him at work, while at home he bit Nick and Susan’s newborn baby Zeke. -
Nick Barbaro and Eevee, the longest tenured Chronicle staff dog -
Hank and Smiley in the Chronicle atrium -
Omar snoozing -
Omar patrolling the Chronicle parking lot -
Hank, networking like a boss
The Pet Issue: Chronicle Staff Pets
