Murphy of Purina fame dies after cancer fight> Pittsfield pooch pictured on bags of dog chow

PITTSFIELD – Murphy, the shelter pooch who became a canine celebrity a decade ago, died Thursday of cancer at age 14.

The Airedale-poodle mix was pictured on 8 million bags of Purina Dog Chow after he was picked as the winner of the pet food maker’s “Great American Dog” competition.

Murphy’s owner, Catherine Burns, had hoped that chemotherapy would cure the cancer diagnosed 11 months ago. But that hope was dashed Wednesday when the veterinarian found it had spread.

“We took him home so he could spend his last night with us,” Burns said.

Burns entered “The Murph” in the 1986 contest by sumbmitting a photo and a 50-word essay from the pooch’s point of view on the theme, “I know I’m one of the family because …”

The Burns family got $25,000 and a trip to New York, where they appeared with Murphy on the “Today” show. After all the hoopla, the adoptee from the Waterville Area Humane Society shelter returned to central Maine to resume his role as loyal family pet.

“Murphy gave me a reason to face the day. Every day. Even the days you didn’t feel like it,” Burns said. “And the days you did, he enhanced it all.”