McGruff The Crime Dog is a mascot for the National Crime Prevention Council; he appears in
PSAs documenting how many children go missing each year in addition to covering how to prevent other crimes such as burglary. He is a bloodhound who wears a trench coat, and he was created in the year 1980 by the Chicago advertising company, Dancer Fitzgerald Sample through the Ad Council in New York City. In some ads, his nephew Scruff also appears to help deliver the message "Take a bite out of crime!".
Tropes in McGruff The Crime Dog:
- The Bully: One PSA from the early 2000s has McGruff talk about how to deal with bullies. An online short film also focuses on one of Scruff's ballet classmates having trouble with a bully.
- Chaste Toons: McGruff's nephew Scruff appears in some public service announcements.
- Friend to All Children: McGruff, he always wants to keep kids safe.
- Fully-Dressed Cartoon Animal: McGruff wears a trench coat.
- Real Men Wear Pink: One online short film reveals that Scruff is in a ballet class.
- Visual Pun: The kids at the playground in one commercial teleport off the picture in the commercials to show the full weight of how many of them get abducted or go missing each year.
