Forget the usual local elections because the most important voting just took place in North Carolina. No, it wasn’t about taxes or roads; it was all about who has the best wiggle and the wettest nose. After a massive community campaign, Forsyth Humane Society, @forsythhumane, finally has an official leader. And it might be safe to say he’s way cuter than any human politician.
Winston, a Golden Retriever from Rural Hall, was just crowned the first pet mayor of the organization. He beat out 76 other furry candidates, and the community really showed up for him.
Golden Retriever Winston elected as first pet mayor of Forsyth Humane Society
In the post, you can see Winston smiling and posing with the people who were instrumental in the campaign. Also, he truly looks like a politician at a photo-op. The election itself was a “paw-litical” race that lasted weeks. There were meet-and-greets at local breweries, and people took everything very seriously. Winston ended up bringing in more than 7,000 votes!
The actual Winston-Salem Mayor, Allen Joines, was the one who announced him as the winner. This Golden Retriever is now officially the pet mayor for 2026, and he looks so proud in his winner’s photo.
But the best part is why they did it. The whole campaign raised over $25,000. That money goes straight to lifesaving care for animals. The nonprofit is actually celebrating 85 years of service. So this was a huge milestone, and every single vote helped support pets in need.
The shelter was truly grateful as they said in the caption that this campaign brought pet lovers together in a way that was “meaningful and something truly special.”
And you can see why he won; this breed is known for being super friendly and basically loving everyone they meet. So a Golden Retriever becoming pet mayor makes perfect sense. He just has that trustworthy face. Here’s wishing Winston a successful mayoral term!
