By James Windell
We know your beloved pet runs your household, but does your dog or cat have the right stuff to run the City of South Haven?
If you think they have what it takes, Al-Van Humane Society has a perfect opportunity for you and your pet. You can nominate your dog or cat or other pet to be the Pet Mayor of South Haven.
“The Mayor, Annie Brown, has helped us put together this fun fundraiser so people can nominate their pet, and the winner will be our official Honorary Pet Mayor of South Haven,” says Jordan Freeburn, Marketing and Development Coordinator for Al-Van Humane Society.
Freeburn notes that South Haven area residents will be able to celebrate the pets they adore while also helping raise money for animals in need at Al-Van Humane Society. The Pet Mayor fundraiser kicked off on May 5, but the nomination period runs through May 11.
She says that pets of all kinds are welcome to participate, from cats and dogs to turtles, birds, hamsters, and any other critter you can think of.
The way it works, Freeburn says, is that anyone can register their pet on the Al-Van website. “There is a $20 donation to participate and once that is submitted I will send them a form which they can complete with information about their pet and a photo of that pet,” says Freeburn. “People can create a campaign slogan for their pet and that will all be loaded on our website.”
After a dog or cat or other pet is nominated and registered, the photo and information about the nominee will be on the Al-Van website and people can go to the website and vote on the pet they would like to see elected Honorary City Mayor.
The election will include two rounds of voting, with supporters casting votes through donations. Each $1 donated equals one vote. During the first round, held May 12 through May 18, candidates will compete within their respective parties: the Dog Party, Cat Party, and Critter Caucus. The top vote-getter from each party will advance to the general election. The final round of voting will take place May 19 through May 25. The candidate with the most votes will be named Honorary Pet Mayor of South Haven and will receive an official swearing-in ceremony at City Hall, a prize package, and, of course, bragging rights for the next year.
According to Freeburn, their hope is that if it goes well this year this will be an annual event. “We’re excited that this is a fun, lighthearted way of getting the community engaged while people can celebrate the pet they love,” says Freeburn. “All the proceeds will be going to help the animals here at Al-Van.”
Al-Van Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill shelter located in South Haven. The Al-Van mission is to compassionately serve the companion animals in our community by providing the best shelter, adoptive homes, education and resources available. Their motto is that every pet deserves love, care, and above all, a home.
To learn more about Al-Van and the Pet Mayor contest, go to al-van.org.
