Tipsheet

Government Interferes With Franklin, the Basset Hound

They should have known better. Franklin's a libertarian.

About a year after being kicked out of his spot on a sofa inside Matt's Barber Shop, a sad-eyed basset hound named Franklin is back and greeting customers.

Franklin was as much of a fixture in the shop about 60 miles south of Cleveland as the 1950s-era, green barber's chair near where the dog sits.

But the 4-year-old dog was kicked out about a year ago when an inspector for the Ohio State Barber Board told Schwendiman that animals are not allowed...

After a local newspaper did a story, rules were passed that allow one animal per barbershop, as long as it belongs to the shop's owner, a vet attests to the animal's health and the owner obtains liability insurance.