So, what REALLY happened to Pipit, the dog from JAWS?

Hello, Islanders!

Conspiracy theories have been around since the beginning of time.  What happened to the dinosaurs?  Aliens at Roswell?  Who killed JFK?  But there is another conspiracy that is never talked about at the swanky dinner parties on Amity Island.  And that is the true fate of Pipit the dog.

Pipit and his owner, Steven Potter, can be seen frolicking on the beach shortly before Alex Kintner is attacked.  Like most dogs, Pipit enjoys fetching sticks, and Potter tosses one into the water repeatedly.  Once Pipit brings it back, Potter tosses it again. 

Soon we see Potter calling for his dog and the image of the stick floating on the surface, with no sign of Pipit.  We, the audience, are made to believe that Pipit was the victim of the shark.  But was he?

 When we see Potter on the beach, he is wearing shorts and a yellow shirt.  After one toss into the water, we observe Pipit swimming and a man suddenly grabbing him in the water.  This is not Potter, as he is seen seconds later, fully clothed and completely dry, on the beach calling for his dog.  Was Pipit dognapped? 

My guess is yes.  A beautiful black lab that likes to fetch sticks is a rarity on an Island where most of the dogs are either poodles or Afghans.  It’s feasible that someone, looking for such a dog, could grab Pipit and make their escape on a crowded beach.  And besides, Steven Spielberg loves dogs!  He wouldn’t let one be eaten by a shark, even off screen.

In 2006, I paid a visit to the back yard of the Potter home on Chappaquiddick Island.  There I came across a small marker noting the final resting place of Pipit the dog.  The question is, like Elvis Presley at Graceland, is he really there? 

Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.

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