New dog for Blagojevich family as prison looms

[December 10, 2011]  CHICAGO (AP) -- The family of ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is getting a new dog.

The Chicago Tribune reports (http://trib.in/u5T6ad) that the Blagojevich family adopted a Maltese-poodle mix from a Chicago shelter Friday. The dog is a former stray taken in by the shelter, PAWS Chicago.

The family got its first dog, Skittles, to help his two daughters cope with the stress after Blagojevich was arrested three years ago.

Blagojevich would later joke in an Associated Press interview that he told his daughters if he ever went to prison, "You can get another dog and call him, 'Daddy.'"

The shelter's director says the family is considering another candy-themed name for their new dog: Twix.

The 54-year-old Blagojevich was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in prison for his conviction on corruption charges.

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com/

[Associated Press]

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