When politicians fall out of favor, animals step in with the perfect mood boost! Dress a dog in a tie, and suddenly it's ready to run for mayor. Add a bow tie to a cat, and you’ve got the ultimate purrfect presidential hopeful. Whenever politics get you down, nothing lifts your spirits like a scroll through charming animals online. Here’s a lineup of furry candidates who’ve thrown their hats in the ring to brighten your day!
Willie Bean Roscoe P Coltrane Makes A Difference
Willie Bean Roscoe P Coltrane, a yellow Labrador from Fairhope, Alabama, is a rare "pupetician" who truly made an impact. In 2010, he ran for Mayor of Fairhope—a campaign that began as a joke but quickly gained national media attention. Frustrated by political signs cluttering his coffee shop's lawn, his owner, Tress Turner, entered Willie Bean in the race to reclaim the space.
Although Willie Bean Roscoe P Coltrane wasn’t a serious contender for mayor, he’s continued to champion change in his community. Today, he’s the beloved mascot for the Baldwin Animal Rescue Center, a local humane society, and has helped raise over $2,000 to support their cause.
Sausage The Dog Is The People's Hero
Rescued from a garbage can as a puppy, Sausage the dog quickly transformed from detective to politician in France. After being adopted by a publishing company, the Dachshund became their mascot and the star of several detective stories.
In 2001, Sausage stepped out of the noir pages of Marseille and into politics by entering the regional municipal elections. Though he didn't win, he captured 4.5% of the vote and even appeared on France’s version of Big Brother. The following year, writer Serge Scott ran Sausage for French President, sparking a "puplitical" revolution. After a full life of 16 years, Sausage passed away in 2014, leaving behind a legacy of charm and activism.
Hank The Cat Overcomes His Troubled Past
Found wandering the streets and nearly euthanized as a kitten, Hank the Cat had a tough beginning. Chased by dogs, he eventually escaped the streets and found a loving home. According to his biography, Hank traded his naps for studying full-time, earning a business degree and even launching a few successful ventures of his own.
Hank's first political run didn’t go well—he ran for Virginia State Senate and garnered just nine votes. Undeterred, he next aimed for the United States Senate as the only "real" candidate. Thanks to grassroots support, Hank finished third, securing his place as a true cat for the people.
Duke The Dog Is Written In
Now serving his third term as Mayor of Cormorant, Minnesota, Duke the Dog is truly one of the most beloved animal politicians ever! Running unopposed for his third term, it's clear the community adores him. Of course, Duke’s path wasn’t always challenging—actually, things have been pretty smooth for him.
Back in 2014, Duke won his first election in a landslide write-in victory. Over a five-week election period, 12 voters each paid one dollar to cast their ballots for him. Since then, Duke has proudly served and protected the township. Today, he keeps his political fame in check, preferring to bury his own bones rather than have someone else do it for him.
Boston Curtis Is A Mule With No Tools
In 1938, just fifty-one votes secured brown mule Boston Curtis the position of committeeman in Milton, Washington. This Republican contender was actually placed on the ballot by the city's Mayor, Kenneth Simmons, as part of a political stunt to prove his quirky theory that voters "have no idea whom they support." At the time, nobody realized Boston Curtis was an animal!
Simmons, a Democrat, aimed to embarrass the Republican Party by having their mascot literally hold office. As for Boston Curtis, he didn’t do a thing—he had no political platform, no experience, and ran unopposed. Apparently, there was simply no better candidate!
Giggles The Pig Goes Snout To Face With Hardened Criminals
In 2015, Giggles the pig (yes, that's her real name) ran for Mayor of Flint, Michigan. Thanks to a loophole in Michigan law that didn’t explicitly forbid animals from running, Giggles was allowed on the ballot. Surprisingly, two of her human opponents had criminal backgrounds—one had just completed a 20-year prison sentence for murder!
Even more shocking was that one rival actually threatened to roast and eat Giggles if elected. Despite these harsh political jabs, Giggles kept her campaign going until Michigan swiftly passed a new law banning animals from holding office. This change came just as Giggles’ write-in campaign was gaining serious traction in the struggling city.
Tuxedo Stand Won't Stand For Neglect
Few animal politicians were as charismatic as Tuxedo Stan during his campaign. At just three years old, Stan ran for mayor of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Facing a rising population of feral cats threatening to take over the town, Stan stepped into the political spotlight with a clear mission: promoting the importance of spaying and neutering pets. His slogan, "neglect isn't working," resonated strongly with a growing base of supporters.
Stan's campaign gained momentum quickly, earning endorsements from American TV personalities like Ellen DeGeneres and Anderson Cooper. Unfortunately, his promising run came to an early end since cats aren’t legally allowed to appear on ballots in Nova Scotia.
Rabbit Hash Keeps Tradition Alive With Brynn
Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, an unincorporated town with a quirky love for animals, has a unique tradition of electing dogs as mayors. The current mayor is Brynneth Pawltro, a three-year-old pit bull affectionately known as "Brynn."
Elected in 2017, Brynn campaigned on a message of peace and love for her community. She's famously friendly, greeting locals with enthusiastic licks whenever she can. Since Rabbit Hash holds mayoral elections every four years, Brynn has plenty of time to show the town why she deserves to serve multiple terms. Her predecessors include canine mayors Lucy Lou, Junior, and Goofy.
Goofy Is The Original Mayor Of Rabbit Hash
Let's take a trip back to Rabbit Hash to uncover how their tradition of animal mayors began. In 1998, a German Shepherd named Goofy became the first honorary mayor. The concept started as a church fundraiser where locals could pay a small fee and cast unlimited votes for their favorite candidate.
That year, Goofy even competed against a human—and the results were decisive, with the charming dog earning 8,000 votes. Since Goofy’s win, Rabbit Hash has embraced its furry leadership wholeheartedly. After Goofy came Junior, then Lucy Lou—the town’s first female dog mayor—and now Brynneth Pawltro holds the title.
Crawfish B. Crawfish Say No To Boils
Fed up with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's constant re-election victories, one brave crustacean decided to step up for the battle of his life. And thus, Crawfish B. Crawfish became a legend. It all began on Facebook, where Crawfish aimed to outdo Jindal in likes to prove he was a serious contender. The mission was a resounding success, sending Jindal to the boil.
When Jindal later announced his bid for president, Crawfish B. Crawfish wasn't about to sit idly by. He registered as an independent candidate with the Federal Election Commission, campaigning on a platform of environmental responsibility, gender equality, and accessible education. While neither Jindal nor Crawfish won, we all know who the real winner is in our hearts.
Bosco Is Good Mayor Doggo
Not every politician earns a statue in their honor, but then again, Bosco the Dog was far from ordinary. In 1981, Bosco, a Rottweiler-Black Lab mix from the unincorporated town of Sunol, California, ran for honorary mayor and easily defeated two human contenders to claim victory.
With his head held high and always ready for a good shake, Bosco served the town proudly until 1984, when his term came to an end. Though he may have passed on, the memory of Bosco remains. The town commemorated his service by erecting a statue in his honor. Truly, this is one dog who answered the question, "Who's a good boy?" in the most memorable way possible.
Stubbs The Cat Served For Two Decades
Stubbs the Cat might seem like just an ordinary orange tabby, but he was far from typical. Serving as the honorary mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, from 1997 until his passing in 2017, Stubbs embodied the purrfect qualities of a great politician for an impressive 20 years.
Named for his missing tail, Stubbs dedicated his time to reminding the community of the importance of togetherness. He was frequently spotted around town, hitching rides on garbage trucks and embarking on other escapades. Naturally, he had his share of misadventures, like the time he fell into a deep fryer—fortunately, it wasn't hot, and Stubbs lived on to enjoy many more naps in the sun.
Clay Moore Henry Is The Most Noble Goat Of Them All
Politics runs deep in the Henry family, and for Clay Moore Henry, that tradition is alive and well. This remarkable goat is the third in a long line of mayoral goats in the unincorporated town of Lajitas. The first Clay Henry was elected mayor in the 1980s, but after a heated rivalry with another goat led to his downfall in a fight, his son, Clay Henry II, took over.
The Henry family's reign continued with Clay Henry II passing the baton to his son, Clay Henry III. In 2008, Clay Moore Henry won the mayoral race against his predecessor, Clay Henry III, and has held the position ever since. Although rumors of a human challenger have surfaced, no evidence—nor oats—has been found to confirm those claims.
Pigasus Oinks For The People!
Pigasus the pig is a great symbol of hope among animal politicians. Getting his start in 1968 through the help of his supporters, Pigasus almost won the Democratic nomination in the 1968 Presidential election! Backed by the Youth Internationatonal Party, the trough flipped over during Pigasus' speech.
Apparently, Chicago has a law that makes it illegal to bring live swine into the city limits. As Jerry Rubin was reading Pigasus' acceptance speed, Chicago police showed up, took Pigasus away (hopefully not to a farm in the countryside), and arrested the "Chicago Seven" for conspiring with the animal. Trust us, you can't make this story up!
Cacareco Wins By Popular Demand
1959 was a very different time in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was a time when a simple rhinoceros with zero political aspirations could win the popular vote. Cacareco was a five-year-old rhino at the time when her name was put on the ballot as a nominee for Sao Paulo's empty city council seat.
With 540 other names on the ballot, Cacareco stormed through and back kicked the competition to a resounding victory. Despite being placed on the ballot as a joke (the name Cacareco translates to "garbage"), the rhinoceros' victory demonstrated Sao Paulo's citizens' displeasure with the city's politics. Officials of the city were quick to nullify the results and held another vote, rhinoceros free, one week later.
Colossus Runs Out Of The Jungle And Into Our Hearts
Colossus the giant gorilla, also known as Tony the silverback gorilla, was one of the largest apes ever raised in captivity. He also ran for President in 1980 as a publicity stunt for Benson's Wild Animal Park. Located in Hudson, New Hampshire, Benson's used Colossus to draw attention to the failing zoo by having the behemoth run in the primaries as both a Democrat and Republican.
Colossus, however, was no competition for Hollywood icon Ronald Reagan that year and never ran for office again. He is, however, included in classic trading card sets as a "serious candidate." Benson's, despite the publicity, closed in 1987 and Colossus moved to the Cincinnati Zoo where he lived the rest of his life.
Billy Gumboot Made It Impossible To Lose
Billy Gumboot was such a sly goat during his brief political career he made it nearly impossible to beat him. Originally elected the President of Whangamomona in 1999, Gumboot won after eating the other opponents' ballots! With nothing in the rulebooks against this devious act, Gilly Gumboot officially became the first animal elected President of the region.
Two years into his historic run as President of Whangamomona, Billy Gumboot died in office (unknown causes). The stage was set for more animals to be elected President of the region, or more recently a human nicknamed "turtle." It was probably the only way he had a chance!
Tama The Cat Runs The Station
Here's Tama the Cat, the longtime station manager at Kishi Station in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The station, facing a shut down in 2007 decided to elect Tama as their new station manager. The move saved the company from paying an employee's salary and allowed Tama to rise through the ranks of the train station.
For her services, Tama got a shiny new hat and a lifetime supply of cat food. Look at her in that hat! With business suddenly booming, the feline public official was promoted again to superstation manager in a ceremony that was attended by the city's mayor. Sadly, Tama passed away in 2015.
Morris The Cat Naps His Way Into Office... Almost
In the United States, Morris the Cat is the known as the mascot of Friskies cat food. In the city of Xalapa, Mexico, Morris the Cat is famous for more political reasons. In 2013 Morris (no relation the cat food icon) ran for Mayor of Xalapa. The black and white feline ran on a platform supporting plenty of napping.
Morris' political agenda resonated with the people of Xalapa. They stormed his social media with likes and sent 12,000 write-in votes his way. Morris didn't quite head-boop the competition, but he did place fourth out of 11 candidates. Not bad for a career sleeper!
Tiao The Chimpanzee Swings With The Big Boys
In 1988, Rio de Janeiro faced a political stalemate. Two human candidates vied for mayor, but neither captured much public support. Seeing a chance to shake things up, the Rio de Janeiro Zoo threw its weight behind Tiao, one of their most cherished chimpanzees.
The zoo sold T-shirts and held rallies in Tiao's name, turning him into a symbol of protest. When the votes were counted, Tiao surprised everyone by finishing third with 400,000 votes—and earning a lifetime supply of bananas! After his passing, the zoo honored Tiao with a statue, a lasting tribute to the power of the people's voice.