A long time ago a dog did good

July 13, 1934: Sammy Boy, a dog so well-known in Los Angeles that he had his own listing in the telephone book, often helped raise money for charities and made the rounds of local hospitals, cheering up sick children.

After two newsboys were injured by a hit-and-run motorist, the Siberian Samoyed expanded his roster of good deeds — making a daily appearance at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue to help hawk newspapers. "At the end of the day, every cent of the money Sammy Boy takes in is turned over to the injured newsboys," The Times reported. "Both boys have been helping in the support of their respective families."

Sammy Boy's owner, Gordon S. Davidson, said the snow-white dog often received mail addressed simply: Sammy Boy, Los Angeles. When Sammy Boy died of a heart attack in 1939, the Times ran an obituary the next day. The dog, it said, had been "sought everywhere for photographic purposes. Society debutantes, actresses, soap companies, dog food manufacturers and film studios vied for his services."