Dogs pose outside polling stations as owners urge voters to do ‘civic duty’

Dogs have been photographed posing outside polling stations, as their owners encouraged people to do their “civic duty” and vote in the various elections happening across the country.

The hashtag #dogsatpollingstations was used frequently on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, as a total of 1,641 council seats were up for grabs across 23 local authorities.

Four regional mayors and two local mayors were also being elected, and a parliamentary by-election was taking place to choose a new MP for the constituency of Runcorn & Helsby.

Getting in on the popular trend on X, Niall Cook took a picture of his Airedale Terrier called Margo outside a polling station in Painswick, Gloucestershire.

The pair made their way to vote at roughly 8am, with Margo somewhat of a veteran when it comes to posing for photos on voting days.

“She’s a bit of an old hand when it comes to voting, as she’s taken part in lots of #dogsatpollingstations before,” Mr Cook told the PA news agency.

“So for her it was probably a case of ‘oh really, not this again’.”

On why people should vote, Mr Cook said: “For me, I’d say that you’re talking your dog for a walk anyway, so why not combine it with your civic duty?”

Over in Girton, Cambridgeshire, Andrew Smith, 54, and his 12-year-old Spinone Italiano called Hugo arrived at their polling station at around 7am.

Mr Smith, a university lecturer, told PA that Hugo had been going to polling stations since 2016, when the election was on his third birthday.

On why people should vote, Mr Smith said: “Your vote counts, use it to make a difference.”

Yoshi, a 13-year-old Chinese Crested Powderpuff, was “excited” to visit his first polling station, alongside owner Jodie Cade.

Ms Cade, 42, voted in Rothwell, Northamptonshire, at around 8.30am and told PA: “(Yoshi) was hoping that by showing off his photo on his social media, it would encourage others to get out and vote, even if you’re not sure who to vote for, we say go with your heart and who you feels cares the most about the area you live in rather than what’s going on nationwide.”