Finding Mr Winkle

Late one night, award-winning photographer Lara Jo Regan was returning from an assignment, driving on the freeway to Los Angleles. She accidentally got lost in an industrial area when she spotted a strange furry creature labouring on the side of the road. When she stopped and got out of the car to investigate, the animal saw her and hobbled towards her. She realized then that the clump of fur was a homeless hound in very bad shape.

She had her veterinarian examine the dog the next day. He told her that the thin and malnourished dog was a "one in a million" freak of nature. His ears and eyes were infected and he had a head fracture that suggested someone might have tossed him from a moving car.

It took almost a full year before Lara was able to bring him back to full health. In that time, Mr Winkle had been transformed from a scruffy stray off the streets into a lovable pooch, and with his arresting looks, Regan began thinking that he had model potential.

A Star is Born

Regan dressed Mr Winkle in costumes and posed him in front of her camera. Winkle loved it - he was a natural!

Emboldened by her vision, Regan poured half her life savings into the Mr Winkle website and the 2001 "What Is Mr Winkle?" calendar.

It wasn't long before Mr. Winkle had become the object of a full-fledged media frenzy, appearing or being featured on CBS TV, the Rosie O'Donnell Show, CNN, and Japanese views shows.

He's also been featured by numerous magazines and news sources: PetLife Magazine, US Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times Magazine, Good Housekeeping, The London Independent, The National Enquirer, Hollywood Reporter and the American Humane Association 60th Anniversary Special Issue are among the many. He was also honored to be the celebrity pet guest at the "Actors & Others for Animals" benefit in Los Angeles.

With his charisma and star potential, Mr Winkle is definitely destined for much bigger things in the future.