Mitt Romney's dog, Seamus, has been unleashed by the New Wave punk rock group Devo.
During his first run for president in 2008, Mitt Romney received strong criticism over the treatment of his dog after it was revealed that he partook of a 12-hour trip with the dog on top of the car. The incident took place in 1983 when Romney was traveling via station wagon with his wife and kids. While traveling from Massachusetts to Ontario, Canada, Romney had strapped Seamus on top of his station wagon in a windshield-equipped carrier.
The incident was brought to public light by reporter Neil Swidey from The Boston Globe, in 2007 and has earned Romney negative press ever since. The story was referenced again on Tuesday when Obama was responding to Romney's statement about energy: "You can't drive a car with a windmill on it," said former Massachusetts governor.
"Now, I don't know if he has actually tried that," Obama said while campaigning in Iowa, "I know he has had other things on his car."
To bring the attention back to the issue of animal rights, Devo will release a new single Aug. 26, National Dog Day, titled "Don't Roof Rack Me, Bro" (Seamus Unleashed). The release also comes just in time the National Republican Convention, which will begin in Florida a day afterwards.
"As an animal lover, I felt I had to get involved," Gerald Casale, founder of the music group, told USA Today.
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To bring attention to the issue, the band has collaborated with the group Dogs Against Romney, which will also support the release of a new mobile game app titled The Crate Escape: Seamus Unleashed, available on iPhone and iPad.
Seamus, an Irish setter, has since passed away. He had been given away a few years after the car incident to Romney's sister, who reported to the Boston Globe that the family was concerned over his wellbeing after the dog made a number of escape attempts.
"He kept ending up at the pound," she said to the Globe in 2007. "They were worried about him getting hit crossing the street."
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