By Yvonne Vávra
The Mayor of New York City refuses to walk in a straight line, loves hanging out in front of Zabar’s hoping to snag a bagel, and enjoys bossing around dogs — but only the large white ones, because he thinks they’re sheep. There. The truth is out. He also loves jumping into freshly made beds and messing them up. But that’s all just because he’s a dog. Simon of Riverside Drive is the official Dog Mayor of New York City.
I met Simon this week and was shocked to learn not only that we had a Dog Mayor, but that he’s a fellow Upper West Sider! The seven-year-old basset hound-cattle dog mix was sworn in just two months ago on the steps of City Hall, becoming only the second Dog Mayor in the city’s history. He succeeded basset hound Sally Long Dog of the East Village, who had served for two years. In front of some of the city’s most prominent human elected officials, Simon pledged to “uphold the office of New York City Dog Mayor with liberty — and yes, dognity — for all,” before shaking paws with Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who administered the Oaf of Office.
The Honorary New York City Dog Mayor Election was founded by media producer and dog lover Stephen Calabria as a way to bring joy and foster community during challenging times. With many people feeling overwhelmed, disillusioned, and tangled in the chaos of national politics, electing a Dog Mayor seems like an initiative pawsitively everyone can get behind.
It’s much more than a happy escape. A Dog Mayor may not know how to come up with plans or proposals to serve the greater good, nor how to mobilize people to step up. Not that many human politicians know, either. But dogs do, in fact, have qualities every good leader needs: They have the power to bring people together and foster a sense of belonging, which many of us crave.
Walking the streets these days, I sometimes feel panic rising because everything seems so normal. People go about their business, sitting on benches, laughing, and eating ice cream. “We have no time for ice cream!” my brain screams. Please excuse it; it’s been screaming a lot, and it’s my fault. I’ve exposed it to too much news. Now it’s running wild, eyes wide and flailing: “The nerve of people to sit on benches in these times!” We should rather … uh … do something. But what? I don’t know. Anyone? The way I experience things is exactly what bad times need to stay bad: people feeling disconnected, scared, hopeless, and jaded.
Instead, it’s absolutely crucial to eat ice cream. We need to enjoy life and each other’s company, gather, and find out if the people sitting on benches feel the same way. That’s how we gain the strength to create positive change. The power of connection can make all the difference.
And who can teach us how to foster these connections? Mayor Simon — representing all the canines of Gotham. Dogs show us that community-building doesn’t have to be complicated: Wag your way into shared moments of joy, be present, loyal, supportive, and always ready to lend a paw to anyone in need. Woof to that.
Dogs don’t even need to do anything — their presence alone makes us stronger. There’s plenty of scientific evidence showing that dogs not only promote positive interactions between people, but also strengthen social trust and encourage helping behavior within communities. And, of course, they’re natural icebreakers. If you’ve ever walked with a dog, you know how many smiles and conversations come your way. Those small moments that acknowledge your presence instantly make you feel like you belong. You’re not just a passerby; you’re one of the crowd, part of the pack.
“I’ve never met more people than I have since adopting Simon,” says Sophie, the Mayor’s mom. “We get stopped all the time, and I actually have close friends who I met because of Simon. I have so many interactions in a day — that’s my favorite part about the Upper West Side. We love it here.”
Simon may never pass a law or make a speech. But we should follow his lead. He ran on the slogan “Adopt a Brighter Future” and plans to use his term to champion animal rescue and adoption. Let’s adopt that mindset and rescue one another from facing these chaotic times alone. Short-legged Simon running the highest pawffice in the city reminds us that making a difference doesn’t always require big, bold steps. Sometimes, it’s simply about showing up with an open, loyal heart. The strength of our community lies not in how much we do, but how well we do it together — never forgetting to refuel along the way. Ice cream for everyone!
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Yvonne Vávra is a magazine writer and author of the German book 111 Gründe New York zu lieben (111 Reasons to Love New York). Born a Berliner but an aspiring Upper West Sider since the 1990s (thanks, Nora Ephron), she came to New York in 2010 and seven years later made her Upper West Side dreams come true. She’s been obsessively walking the neighborhood ever since.
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Thank you for this smile-worthy, well-written reminder that while we try to figure out how to make changes in the larger world., we need to maintain connections and do what we can to help others in each of our small worlds.
Has to be better than De Blasio.
The dog may be a better elected official than most of the ones we have
Lol! Funny and touching. The first few sentences had me going!
Is he a token repuplican?
Impossible. Remember, the dog is man’s — and woman’s — best friend; so no, absolutely not.
Thank you, WSR! I love this article! Simon is the mayor we need!