St. John’s, Newfoundland Finds Mayoral Candidate In Finn The Cattle Dog

St. John’s, Newfoundland may have found the ideal mayoral candidate that anyone would back.

Newfoundland is Canada’s easternmost province and boasts impressive seascapes and some of the friendliest people on Earth. It may also end up being home to the first canine mayoral candidate that St. John’s, Newfoundland has ever seen. Several news outlets, including The New York Post, are reporting that Finn, a five-year-old Australian cattle dog, has mounted a YouTube campaign as St. John’s begins its race to find a mayor.

It’s certainly not the first time an animal has run for public office; there have been several animals looking for the top job in cities and towns worldwide, dating all the way back to the times of Roman Emperor Caligula. Incitatus was reportedly Caligula’s favorite horse, and some humans undoubtedly wish they could live as this horse did. Reportedly, Incitatus lived in a marble stall, ate gold-infused oats, and served on the Roman consul, according to Suetonius, an ancient Roman historian. Granted, Caligula was insane, but Readers Digest notes that there are locations across the globe where animals have snagged top political offices, thereby making St. John’s, Newfoundland absolutely no exception to the rule.

Undoubtedly, there would be certain benefits to having an animal as the top politician in the land. Some pundits might argue that some countries have had rats running the show for years, so why not cats and dogs?

According to Toronto Sun, Finn launched his mayoral campaign for St. John’s with a video designed to draw attention to the city’s issues, such as potholes and snow removal. In the recently-released YouTube video, Finn can be seen pushing gravel into a pothole with his paws.

Owner Glenn Redmond noted in an interview that the dog he calls his “buddy” actually boasts something of an acting acumen, having appeared in television shows such as Republic Of Doyle, a Canadian series also set in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

The idea of a dog as mayor of St. John’s is fast getting some backing online, though Redmond has said that Finn’s name won’t actually be on the ballot. The video was designed to get people talking about the issues St. John’s, Newfoundland deals with, rather than as an actual candidacy announcement. It would seem, though, there are those who would almost prefer to have a canine leader over some of the ones running for the mayoral position.

This is Finn. He wants to be the next mayor of St. John's, Newfoundland. And honestly, we should let it happen ? https://t.co/xQ0V2J1Cgp

— BuzzFeed Canada (@BuzzFeedCanada) September 13, 2017

Redmond said that as a serious walker, Finn definitely has a “paws on the ground” approach to the position of mayor of St. John’s, Newfoundland. While Redmond has no firm plans for Finn to seriously take on the position of St. John’s mayor, his campaign video has already garnered over 8,600 views, and there’s another video planned for release prior to the municipal election September 26.

Not sure if a dog as mayor of St. John’s, Newfoundland is a great idea? Check out Finn’s campaign video:

[Feature Image by Cynocub/iStock]