The Dog Mayors
of Rabbit Hash

Mixed breed · "Dog of unknown parentage" · First Canine Mayor in American History

The original. Goofy won the first-ever Rabbit Hash mayoral election in 1998 and was inaugurated to great local fanfare. His unlikely rise to power was chronicled in the documentary Rabbit Hash: The Heart of the Universe. Goofy served faithfully until his death in July 2001 at the age of 16 — still in office, tail wagging to the end.

By all accounts, Goofy was exactly the kind of mayor you'd want — endlessly friendly, interested in everyone who walked through the General Store door, and completely indifferent to partisan politics. His platform, if he had one, was simply to be present. He set a standard for dignified, scandal-free governance that every successor has tried to uphold.

Black Labrador Retriever · The People's Champion

Junior won the 2004 election after the mayoralty sat vacant for several years. His tenure was not without controversy: the Northern Kentucky Health Department banned him from entering the General Store after a visitor complained about animals inside — a ruling that enraged his loyal constituents. A petition was filed on his behalf. Junior died in office in May 2008, age 15, unbowed.

The health department incident became something of a cause célèbre — locals argued that a town where the mayor was a dog should, logically, also be a town where dogs were welcome in the General Store. The logic was airtight. Junior may have lost that particular battle, but he won the longer war: his legacy cemented the idea that Rabbit Hash was a place that took its dogs seriously, no matter what the bureaucrats said.

Border Collie · First female mayor · National celebrity

Lucy Lou was elected in a special August 2008 election to fill the vacancy left by Junior's passing, becoming Rabbit Hash's first female mayor. She was the town's most celebrated mayor — walking with CBS Sunday Morning's Bill Geist, accepting a $1,000 stimulus check from Reader's Digest, serving as Grand Marshall of Covington's Paw-Rade, and winning Best Elected Official in Cincinnati CityBeat three years running.

In 2015 she briefly announced a U.S. presidential exploratory campaign — a move that generated more press coverage than most actual exploratory campaigns. Border Collies are famously intelligent and driven; Rabbit Hash voters clearly knew what they were doing when they elected one. Lucy Lou had that rare quality in a public official: she actually listened.

Lucy Lou was also the first Rabbit Hash mayor not to die in office; she retired with her dignity intact. She passed away on September 10, 2018, at age 12, beloved by the whole country. Her eight-year run remains the longest tenure in Rabbit Hash history.

Pit Bull · Most votes in Rabbit Hash history (at the time) · International goodwill ambassador

Brynn stormed the 2016 election, pulling massive vote totals and becoming an international sensation. Her election was covered by outlets across the globe — a pit bull winning an election in the same week as a deeply divisive national election felt like exactly the kind of wholesome news everyone needed. She served a full term with characteristic good humor and zero scandals.

Brynn's election carried a particular kind of symbolism. Pit bulls are among the most unfairly maligned breeds in America — the subject of breed-specific legislation, fear-based stereotyping, and endless bad press. That Rabbit Hash elected one as mayor felt, to many, like a corrective. Whatever else was happening in the world in November 2016, one small Kentucky town was saying: this is a good dog, and we trust her with the job.