When Homer's court case determines that a dog's life is more valuable than a human's, the canines recognize their position of power and begin to assert their dominance.
Tropes:
- Continuity Nod:
- The Flanders still have Baz, the dog they got two seasons ago in "Peeping Mom."
- Poochie can be seen among the dogs cornering Bart and Lisa.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: When Homer, in a drunken stupor, gets surrounded by growling dogs:Homer: Let me guess. Collie, dachshund, Tibetan Mastiff, otterhound, Swedish Vallhund, Finnish Spitz, Norwegian Lundehund, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Lagotto Romagnolo, and three wolves! (screams in terror)
- Fantasy Twist: Homer being sued for all he's worth makes Bart and Lisa wonder if they'll be sent to live with other families. Relishing the prospect of being free to do whatever he wants, Bart pictures himself immediately selling off both his kidneys and winding up with a headstone that describes him as a "STUDENT OF LIFE, BUT NOT OF ANATOMY." Per usual, this doesn't kill his buzz in the least bit.
- Ignored Expert: Initially, Dr. Budgie's is arrested for not treating dogs equally to humans even though he points out how dangerous it is.
- Kick the Dog: Marge literally kicks the alpha dog, the Van Houtens' chihuahua, out of the park to assert dominance. She then apologizes for it.
- Klingon Promotion: A downplayed variant, but Marge kicking the tiny Alpha Dog makes her the new Alpha to the other dogs.
- Mama Bear: Marge charges into a graveyard filled with wild dogs and kicks the alpha dog in order to protect her children.
- No Sympathy: Everybody stops caring about Gil when Homer says he had to run over him to avoid doing the same to a dog.
- Status Quo Is God: Lampshaded during the town meeting where they decide they're giving dogs too much power.Mayor Quimby: I say "status", you say...Everybody else: Quo!
- Take That!:
- To people and laws that place dogs on a high pedestal above humans, even though it denies the fact that dogs are the product of constant human control over an animal's evolution.
- In addition, Anger Watkins says during his rant, "What's next?! Cats get credit cards?! Let a snail race in the Indy 500?! Like that stupid movie Turbo?!"
- Tempting Fate: Gil missed the chance to become the town's hero to buy a sandwich and Homer tries to comfort him by stating he at least still has the sandwich.
- Homer also does this when he claims walking is safer than driving in his drunk state, despite the town being overrun by Dogs.
- Gil's happy ending (finding a four-legged friend in Taquito) is ruined with the hint that the chihuahua plans to eat him.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Inverted. The town of Springfield determines that dogs are more important than humans.
- Where the Hell Is Springfield?: Mayor Quimby says Springfield isn't on the map because the map company doesn't know which state the town is in.
