A central Ohio dog park has elected its first ever dog mayor.
Tater Kasler, a Labrador retriever, beat 79 nominees and five finalists in an election for the dog-mayor of The Wag, located at 1330 Norton Ave., just outside of Grandview Heights.
The Wag is a “people park and dog bar” that opened in November. It features indoor and outdoor dog play areas, a bar for humans, a pet store and grooming services. Humans may enter for free, but all dogs need paid memberships and must meet medical, age and behavior requirements.
Casie Meyer, owner of The Wag, said the company came up with the idea as a fun way to bring Grandview Heights together, and “it’s been incredible to see the community take it and run with it.”
“From 93 nominations to seeing neighbors
rally behind their candidates, the response has been more than we could have hoped for,” Meyer said. “The Wag has always been about creating a place where dogs bring people together, and it’s been really special to see that happen across the entire Grandview community.”
Owners for each dog running for mayor submitted platforms for their pups. Tater ran on a platform that included a second dog swim day at the Grandview Heights Municipal Pool, dog greetings for every child leaving Stevenson Elementary School, decriminalizing counter surfing (the popular canine pastime of snatching unattended food from household surfaces) and patrols to keep an eye on the neighborhood squirrel population.
Tater was sworn into office at an Oct. 9 ceremony at The Wag.
Public safety and breaking news reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio dog park elects Tater its first ever dog mayor
