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    In the United States, at the age of 20, a ginger cat named Stubbs, known for being the honorary mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, has died at the age of 20. “Stubbs lived 20 years and three months. He was a fighter until the last day of his life, meowing all day, asking for attention or demanding to sit next to him on the crib and let him make himself comfortable, humming for hours on his knees, ”said his owners.

    The owners already have a new candidate for mayor - a kitten named Denali (named after a mountain in south central Alaska, the highest peak in North America): “Denali is remarkably similar in character to Stubbs,” said the family of owners of the cat mayor. - He loves attention, and with people he behaves like a little puppy. We could not even dream of a better deputy than Denali - he really always followed in the footsteps of Stubbs in everything. "

    There is no human mayor in the city of Talkeetna - however, this is not exactly a city, but a historical area, where, according to 2010, 876 people lived.

    For tourists, this is a stopover point on the way to Mount McKinley, where the ginger cat-mayor has remained one of the attractions for the past 20 years, whose office served as a grocery store Nagley's Store.

    The cat - discovered by store manager Laurie Stack in a box with other kittens in the parking lot - is believed to have been elected mayor in 1998, the year after he was born, in an election campaign in which he bypassed all human candidates. However, there is another opinion: in 2012, when the 15th anniversary of the cat mayor was celebrated, Rene Montagne, the host of radio NPR, said on the air that there were no elections in the tiny town, which means there can be no mayor.

    However, no one hid the fact that Stubbs is more of a decorative figure: "Since Talkeetna is a 'historic place', the post of mayor has more symbolic meaning than functional," said Andy Manning, President of Talkeetna Chamber of Commerce in 2012. For locals, the cat was everyone's favorite, and for tourists, it was an excuse to stop in a village ruled by a cat, who walks into a restaurant every afternoon to drink catnip water from a wine glass. Several dozen travelers come here every day - the town, which grew out of a railway station founded in 1916, receives a significant part of its income from tourists. People come here, at the junction of the rivers Susitna, Chulitna and Talkeetna, to go rafting, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and hiking in the surrounding mountains.

    The mayor, however, was respected in the city for his strong character and ability to insist on his own.

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    “All day long I have to deal with the mayor. He is very demanding, - Sky Farrar, an employee of Nagley's store, told CNN in 2012. - He meows, meows, meows, demanding to be picked up and put at the checkout. him - an obligatory afternoon nap. "At the same time, he slept anywhere, leaving wool everywhere. But the residents of the city put up with this - not every area comes to interview for CNN on the 15th anniversary of the cat-mayor, who is constantly on duty." When in 2002, the building was on fire, he was the last to leave, "Todd Basilone, owner of Mountain High Pizza Pie in Talkeetna, told CNN in 2012." Stubbs cares about any establishment in town. "

    Until 2013, residents of the town argued that although there are more dogs than cats in their village, Stubbs gets along great with them. However, on August 31, 2013, the cat survived the attack of the dog, receiving serious wounds on the side and in the chest area. All over the world were thrown off to pay bills at the veterinary clinic - the residents of the town announced a fundraiser, and the remaining money went to the local animal shelter. After nine days in the hospital, the cat returned to his office at Nagley's store. Other adventures of the mayor included an armed attack by children with a pneumatic pistol, falling into a restaurant deep fryer (which was turned off at that time) and a trip out of town in a garbage truck.

    Sometimes people behave strangely: for example, they give power over their city into the hands, or rather, the paws of animals. Here are four occasions when animals have served as mayor of a city.

    1. Cat Stubbs - Talkeetna, Alaska

    This cat not only got the place of mayor, but has been occupying it for 15 years already. True, he does not govern quite a city, but rather a village, with a population of only 900 people. However, 15 years is an impressive term of office even for a human, so Stubbs is apparently very good in his post.

    Stubbs found himself in the mayor's chair when, one day, during an election, none of the candidates liked the locals. As a joke, someone suggested the cat for a high post, and the villagers voted in unison for him. Subsequently, they decided that the cat mayor was a good bait for tourists, and therefore Stubbs is still regularly re-elected. Most of the time, the Mayor of Talkeetna sleeps, wanders around the courtyards of his constituents and plays with other cats with no political influence.

    2. Dog Bosco - Sunol, California

    Mayor of the city of Sunol for 13 years honestly served the dog Bosco, a mixed breed of Labrador and Rottweiler. His appointment as mayor was symbolic and joking, but in 1989, the communist Chinese newspaper People's Daily cited Bosco's appointment in an article as an example of how democratic elections are bullshit and even mongrels can get power. Then the defenders of free elections brought Bosco to San Francisco and staged a rally outside the Chinese consulate, proclaiming the mayor's dog a symbol of democracy and freedom.

    3. Goat Henry Clay III - Lachitas, Texas

    The Mayor of Lahitas knows the best way to deal with the heat on a sunny day: have a beer or two and take it easy. Henry himself would gladly use his own advice, but that's just problematic when instead of hands - hooves. However, numerous tourists are always ready to help the mayor, because Henry is not just a politician, but a representative of the dynasty that has been ruling in Lahitas since 1986, when his grandfather was first elected to the post of the head of the city. It is worth mentioning that all the goat mayors in the city are the mascots of the beer produced there.

    4. Lucy Lou - Rabbit Hash, Kentucky

    In 1998, German Shepherd Goofy was elected mayor of a quiet village in Kentucky. Actually, frankly speaking, Goofy apparently bought this election.

    This whole story began under the guise of raising funds for the local church, when each parishioner could vote for his candidate for a dollar. Moreover, you could vote an unlimited number of times - pay a dollar and vote. Goofy overtook his two-legged rival with a whopping 8,000 votes. Obviously it was no coincidence ...

    Since that fateful day, the city has chosen two more canine mayors, now the chair is occupied by Lucy Lou, the mayor of the collie breed.

    5. And about the cat Freddie, the mayor of Sharon, Wisconsin, we have already written!

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    A 20-year-old mayor of Talkeetna named Stubbs. He has served as mayor since 1998. And Stubbs was also a cat. The Insider talks about an unusual mayor and other animals holding government offices.

    Stubbs the cat, ex-mayor of a city in Alaska

    The future mayor was found in a city parking lot in a box with other kittens in 1997. His owner, Laurie Stack, chose Stubbs because he had no tail. That same year, an election was being held in Talkeetna, a town of 900 inhabitants, and people were unhappy with the candidates. Laurie jokingly proposed the candidacy of her cat - and the residents unexpectedly chose him. So Stubbs became Mayor of Talkeetna. In 2012, the cat was re-elected to this post.

    Stubbs's mayor's office was located at Nagley's General Store, the store for which Laurie Stack served as manager. The mayor reportedly drank a glass of catnip water every day.

    But 20 years of public service have not passed lightheartedly. For example, in 2013, an attempt was made on the cat-mayor. Stubbs suffered many serious injuries as a result of the dog attack. And once, tired of the burden of power, the cat tried to escape from the city in a garbage truck.

    Stubbs had his own Facebook and Twitter pages. After his death, there were several farewell tweets with the hashtag #RIPStubbs:

    Translation: “Good news: I'm in heaven. Bad news: ALL DOGS GO TO PARADISE. "

    Goat Clay Henry III, Mayor of Texas

    Clay Henry III did not have to race and bother with campaigning. He was born into a family of hereditary city governors. The Goat Dynasty has ruled the city of Lahitas, Texas since 1986.

    Lachitas is famous for the production of beer, and it was for his love for this drink that Clay Henry Sr. was elected mayor - he could drink anyone. His grandson is also not far behind.

    In 2002, due to his love for alcohol, Clay Henry III became involved in a crime story. Local resident Bob Hardgrove castrated the mayor for drinking his beer. Despite the fact that the police found the goat's penis in Hardgrove's refrigerator, the criminal case did not develop.

    Dog power in Kentucky

    The tiny town of Rabbit Hash in the US state of Kentucky, by law, cannot have its own self-government, administration and authority. But in 1998, the local Historical Society organized a mayoral election. Since then, this post has never been taken by a person.

    The mongrel dog Goofy Borneman was elected the first mayor of the city, and in 2004 Rabbit-Hash was headed by the Labrador Retriever Junior Cochran.

    On November 4, 2008, a “woman mayor” appeared in the city. Border Collie Lucy Lou won the election under the slogan "This bitch won't let you down" and took office on the same day as Barack Obama, who had just become president. In 2016, it was even reported about the possible participation of Lucy in the presidential election.

    Since 2017, Rabbit Hash has been run by the American Pit Bull Terrier Brynnet "Brynn" Poltro. During the race, he beat two other dog candidates. To prove his professional suitability, Brynn had to chase the rabbit from his home to the Rabbit Hash Center for an hour.

    Palmerston Cat, employeeBritish Foreign Office

    Palmerston the Cat does not run the city, but his contribution to the work of the British government is difficult to overestimate. In 2016, he was accepted to the post of chief mouse cutter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The cat was probably named after Lord Palmerston, former Prime Minister of Great Britain and Foreign Secretary of the Kingdom.

    At the age of two, the cat was found on the street and sent to an animal shelter, from where he moved to the ministry. The characterization that Palmerston received from the orphanage was "confident and humane."

    By the way, Larry the cat worked in the residence of the former Prime Minister of Great Britain David Cameron, and Freya the cat does this work in the Treasury.

    Barsik the cat, Putin's rival

    In December 2016, on Barsik's page

    French Minister for European Affairs Natalie Loiseau made a figurative and at the same time harsh statement to Great Britain. Loiseau compared London's behavior to the quirks of her cat. According to the French diplomat, every morning she is woken up by a "hoarse meow" - the animal asks to be released. When Natalie opens the door, the cat freezes in indecision.

    “He stares at me intently as I push him out the door,” the minister said.

    According to Loiseau, the British deserve a similar treatment: they, too, should be kicked out the door. She supported the head of government of the United Kingdom, Theresa May. Like, "no deal is sometimes better than a bad deal."

    The cat destined to become Brexit is far from the first notable figure in world politics.

    FAN thanks Natalie Loiseau for the opportunity to remember the famous predecessors of her pet.

    Stubbs, Mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska

    In 1997, another mayoral election was held in Talkeetna, Alaska. The locals were not happy with the candidates running for high office. A girl named Laurie Stack, who worked as a store manager at Nagley's General Store, nominated Stubbs' cat. She found him shortly before the election in a box with other kittens. Stubbs did not have a tail, the owners abandoned it.

    In the elections, the unusual candidate was expected to be a crushing success: all 900 voters cast their votes for the kitten. Like many politicians of the first magnitude, Stubbs survived an assassination attempt in his lifetime. In 2012, during a traditional night walk, the mayor was attacked by a dog. The victim was taken to hospital with multiple injuries.

    A year later, Stubbs won again a landslide victory in the elections and remained in office until his 21st year of life in July 2017.

    It should be noted that the competence of the legendary mayor of Alaska is not recognized by everyone. In particular, in 2013, experts of the Alaska Dispatch newspaper called Stubbs' victory in the elections a falsification. The very right of the inhabitants of Talkeetna to choose a mayor was also questioned, since this area does not have the rights of a municipality.

    However, it would be unfair to call Stubbs a "wedding general." The unusual mayor has interested tourists. Things went uphill, so the locals had no reason to regret their choice.

    "Budget freeloader" from Yekaterinburg conquers Legislative Assembly

    Stubbs' success inspired Ivan Kolotovkin, a resident of Yekaterinburg. His pet, Bublik, also tried himself in big politics. On April 25, 2012, Bublik, accompanied by the owner, went to the building of the Legislative Assembly of the Sverdlovsk Region. And he left not with empty paws: Georgy Persky solemnly hand him the diploma of the people's choice.

    The tailed guest was also offered a free tour.

    “I signed and presented him with a red diploma of the people's deputy (there are specialties to choose from: people's demigod, budget freeloader, promising noodle, people's choice),” Persky said.

    The politician recalls that Bublik especially liked the seat of the deputy. Alas, his political career did not develop further.

    Freddie, "Mayor" of Sharon, Wisconsin

    Homeless cat Freddie led the most ascetic lifestyle near the Sharon City Hall in the American state of Wisconsin. Once he was noticed and fed by the local treasurer. The cat fell in love with local officials, and soon became "their own man" in government offices. Over time, Freddie received the title of "Mayor of Respect".

    However, this post is purely symbolic. According to the law, the city is governed by a president, who must be human. Another bureaucratic delay: residents must vote for him. Therefore, Freddie is content with the role of the mayor in quotes. Americans judge fairly: what kind of mayor is he if no one elected him? This is not some "interim president" of Venezuela, is it?

    Mischievous cat Leopold

    The presidential race in Ukraine in 2004 turned out to be extremely intense. The main contenders for the post of head of state were Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and his namesake Yushchenko.

    Yanukovych called on his opponent to open debate. According to Viktor Fedorovich, Viktor Andreevich avoided dialogue.

    “I will negotiate with them on your behalf. And today I am calling for negotiations, as well as at the debates, this naughty cat Leopold - Yushchenko. And after that I will come to meet you, ”Yanukovych promised, speaking at the capital's railway station.

    Meanwhile, the cartoon cat Leopold was distinguished by the most righteous life. His call for friendship has become firmly established in the lexicon of Soviet and post-Soviet people.

    Viktor Fedorovich clearly missed the mark. However, the main mistakes of the fourth president of Ukraine were still ahead ...

    As you may have guessed, in this little article I want to tell you about the most selfless mayor in America, and indeed in the whole world. Mayor Stubbs lives in the small town of Talkeetna, Alaska, with a population of about 900. The residents of the city are very pleased with their mayor and for 15 years he has been the permanent honorary mayor of their town. For the sake of a successful political career, he did not have to resort to blackmail, bribery, threats and slander.

    All voters are happy with their mayor

    “He doesn't raise taxes - we don't have sales tax. He does not interfere in business affairs. He's honest, ”says Laurie Stack, whose shop was given the additional function of the mayor's office after Stubbs won the election. Even the dogs, who are believed to be outnumbered in Talkeetna, do not mind such a mayor. “In my memory, dogs have never contacted him,” says a local businessman.

    Haven't you guessed yet? For 15 years now, the mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, has been the most ordinary ginger cat. Strange Americans allowed the local authorities to lead the cat! Moreover, as mayor, he spent almost his entire life. He was chosen as a very small kitten, just a few months after birth.

    15 years ago, Laurie Stack, who runs a local Nagley Grocery store, discovered a box of kittens and decided to take one. She named the cat Stubbs - stubby tail, since it did not have a tail. Somehow, a few days before the elections, it was in her store, among the buyers, there was a conversation about a candidate for the post of mayor of the town. People openly expressed their grievances against the current mayor, who intended to continue to rule their town. Someone present in the store hotly called him a stupid donkey and said that it is better to entrust the city to a red, tailless kitten than to a stupid donkey.

    The news of this conversation quickly spread throughout the small town. “If you don't like a single candidate in the elections, you should vote not against all, but for the cat,” the Talkeetne residents said to each other. Jokes, jokes, but then, 15 years ago, the kitten Stubbs was elected mayor of the city and to this day successfully fulfills its duties.

    The townspeople believe that electing a cat as head of Talkeetna was a great idea: on the one hand, residents were able to get rid of his hated predecessor, and on the other, a quiet town in Alaska became famous throughout the world. The city administration is now an obligatory and extremely popular point of tourist routes. You don't often get a chance to pet the mayor. Thousands of people come to Alaska every year to talk to the meowing official and pat him behind the ears.

    Honestly, Stubbs is hard to blame for being too hardworking.

    He prefers more pleasant things - to drink from a wine glass of water to which the catnip is added, or to substitute the stomach for voters, who are always ready to stroke their mayor. The local clerk claims that the mayor is “extremely demanding” of his subordinates and has to take long rest to cope with the huge work that he does not need to do.

    The red-haired official from Alaska has his own Facebook page. Now the famous cat has more than 6,000 friends. For comparison, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's cat Dorofey has only 298 followers on Twitter. However, fifteen years for a cat is already a long age, and Stubbs will soon need to retire. And the townspeople will have to find a worthy replacement for him.