Would Fort Collins Ever Elect a Dog for Mayor?
The idea is not unheard of in the state of Colorado.
I guess I should start by saying that this is, in no way, a knock at anyone in our leadership. Rather, it's a funny thing that seems to be happening in a few cities and states across the country. There are places in our nation that have animals as their leaders.
Of course, they're not actually government officials, but rather honorary title holders.
Recently I saw that Rabbit Hash, Kentucky elected a French bulldog named Wilbur Beast as their mayor. Mayor Beast was able to secure more votes than his competitors, a Beagle named Jack Rabbit and a Golden Retriever named Poppy. In fact, he brought in 13,143 votes. And although he will fulfill his duties on his own, Jack and Poppy will serve as ambassadors of Rabbit Hash.
It all sounds just crazy enough to fit into the year we've experienced.
The town has been electing these canine officials as a fundraiser for the past three decades. Each vote is a dollar and the money goes to the Rabbit Hash historical society. Wilbur will be tasked with greeting visitors and making them feel welcome, in addition to representing the town the historical society. He will also be on hand at fundraising events and other town get-togethers.
Would Fort Collins ever do something like this?
There were actually two dogs that were elected to positions in the state of Colorado. Pa Kettle was a Bloodhound who was elected Mayor of Divide, Colorado in 2014. Then there was Parker the Snow Dogg who was the honorary mayor of Georgetown, Colorado and was sworn in in 2019. You may know Parker as the official mascot of Loveland Ski Area these days.
So let me ask you again, would Fort Collins ever elect a dog for mayor?