Family of Shop Owner Who Inspired 'The Bear' Helps Rescue Dog in His Honor

On March 1, 2023, legendary Chicago restaurant owner Joseph Zucchero, the inspiration behind the television show The Bear, died.

Known colloquially as Mr. Beef, Zucchero started his professional career as a butcher. He then took over the no-frills sandwich joint Mr. Beef with his brother Dominic in 1979. The eaterie had been founded by brothers-in-law Carl Bonavolanto and Tony Ozzauto 16 years earlier.

FX Comedy drama series The Bear was inspired by Zucchero's story. It premiered in June 2022, and a second series is due to release in June 2023. Starring Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the first series was nominated for Best Comedy Series at the Critics' Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

As Chicago mourns the loss of a legendary restaurant owner, his death has given a lost and abandoned dog a new lease of life.

Namesake pup Mr. Beef has found his forever home after donations in Zucchero's name prompted the shelter and other organizations to add to his legacy.

Following Zucchero's death at the age of 69, his family asked for donations to One Tail at a Time (OTAT) in lieu of flowers. This was to honor both the late man's love of his own dogs and his "grand dog" adopted by his daughter from OTAT.

"In his honor, OTAT went to Chicago animal control, rescued the beefiest dog they could find, and aptly named him Mr. Beef," Gianna Wilson told Newsweek on behalf of OTAT.

In less than a week, on April 25, Mr. Beef, a 2-year-old large mixed breed, found his forever home. His adopter John told Newsweek: "Mr. Beef has been a great addition to our family and has been so much fun—he is so eager to learn new things."

Mr. Beef's story got even better. Figo Pet Insurance, a company based in Chicago, got in touch with hot-dog manufacturer Vienna Beef, and both agreed to sponsor Mr. Beef's adoption.

Figo Insurance covered the adoption fee and pledged to provide the new family with a bag filled with pet essentials. To further honor the dog's namesake, Vienna Beef also gave the adopters a $100 gift card toward a meaty treat.

One Tail at a Time is a Chicago-based no-kill rescue with an aim to end pet homelessness. Rescuing animals from overcrowded shelters and placing them in loving forever homes, OTAT has around 50 other dogs waiting for forever homes.

The team members at OTAT were thrilled to have found another forever home for a needy dog, honoring Chicagoan Zucchero at the same time.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.