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Updated January 18th, 2021 at 14:08 IST

Vermont 'pet mayors' raise money to rehabilitate community school playground

Vermont town Fair Haven's honorary mayor Murfee, Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and Lincoln the goat raised money to rehabilitate elementary school playground.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
Vermont
| Image:self
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Elected Fair Haven mayors, a goat, and a dog on January 17 started a fundraiser for a community elementary school playground renovation in Vermont, New England, US. The honorary mayor Murfee, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and Lincoln the goat raised money from the residents for the local kids to get civically involved by rehabilitating the school’s integral area. The 3-year-old Nubian goat runner up Lincoln raised about $10,000, while its successor mayor Cavalier King Charles spaniel raised close to $20,000, raising the benchmark for co-mayor Sammy, town Police Chief Bill Humphries’ 6-year-old K-9 German Shepherd rescue dog. 

Town Manager Joe Gunter told the Rutland Herald, that the community chipped in another $20,000 as the money raised this year by Lincoln hadn’t hit the mark due to the pandemic. Therapy dog mayor Murfee’s owner, Linda Barker, had suggested the dog mayor sells T-shirts for the fundraiser. She then switched to the idea of selling at least 1,000 masks and raised more than $5,000. Additionally, the town had a $50,000 grant which was awarded by the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The money would be utilised to revamp the school’s playgrounds for kids, however, the animal mayors of Fair Haven wouldn’t be allowed inside.

Read: Dog Greets Devotees Outside Temple, Netizens 'love' The Adorable Video

Read: US Town Elects Bulldog As Mayor In 2020 'Pawlitical' Election, Check Other Cute Candidates

[Cavalier King Charles spaniel Murfee. Credit: AP/Joe Gunter]

[Nubian goat Lincoln. Credit: AP]

The playground displays a "No dogs allowed" sign. “Murfee is going to take that up with the town,” Barker told AP. “He's going to contest that.”

Murphy won election in March 2020

In the Vermont town, children and adults vote to choose an animal mayor as dogs, hamsters and even horses run for the mayoral seat. In 2020 polls, while goat Lincoln, therapy dogs Murfee and Sammy were tucked in a tight race, the 3-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel won the race, defeating the incumbent Nubian goat Lincoln.

The four-legged animals annually organize the town’s fundraiser to replace the community's elementary school's playground equipment or rehabilitate the ground area as the school is nearly 20 years old.  Joe Gunter, the town’s person mayor accompanies the furry mayors to raise some money for the town’s betterment. Last year, certified therapy dog Murfee nursing homes, grade schools, and hospitals along with other dogs from the Caring Canines Therapy Dogs of Southern Vermont for a fundraising campaign. 

Read: AI-enabled Collar Can Detect Emotions In Dogs To Tell Owners How Their Pets Feel

Read: Netizens Fawn Over Navy Special Forces Commando & His Dog Slithering Down From Chopper

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Published January 18th, 2021 at 14:08 IST

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