Maybe Winnipeg's mayoral race should go to the dogs

The other day, I read that my favourite mayor died last year at the ripe old age of 20.

I never met Mayor Stubbs of Talkeetna, Alaska, but I have no doubt that I would have liked him and enjoyed spending time learning more about how he led the people of the small community.

Of course, I would not be able to get a direct answer from him because he didn't speak human. Mayor Stubbs was a cat.

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Having a cat as a top official might seem like an odd idea, even for a small community that technically didn't need a mayor. Yet whether as a statement against human corruption and incompetence or as a tourist attraction, various towns and villages around the world have nominated and sometimes elected dogs, catsand other animals to lead.

For me, the idea of animals as civic leaders is not as unlikely as it sounds. As a part-time dog walker and pet sitter, I have found that being around animals gives me insights into life and interactions that I might not be able to find elsewhere.

I remember a certain miniature poodle who regularly came to visit me in the basement apartment where I once lived. She was a loyal friend to me, whether or not I had treats for her, and she listened patiently to me after I lost my job and spent far too much time lamenting my situation. If only more people were that patient and willing to listen, there would be fewer emotional troubles in this world.

The poodle's roommate (other than the human, who officially owned the house) was a Siamese cat who seemed to consider herself my landlady and who came down to my part of the house every evening to check on me. I don't know if she came just to greet me or maybe to make sure that I hadn't turned the basement into a dog sanctuary, but I looked forward to her yowl of greeting every night.

The care that I received from those two animals was very helpful at a difficult time in my life, and I have found that my time with dogs and cats has allowed me to learn new things about myself and the people around me.

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For some animals, as well as humans, putting on a show of strength is important. At a seniors' complex where I walk several dogs, a schnauzer the size of a shoebox always puts on a show of ferocity by barking energetically when I knock on the door but then calms down and gazes up into my eyes when I put the leash on her.

Similarly, a border collie mix customarily meets me with barking but then willingly goes on walks with me, while a cute beagle/terrier seems to think that my legs need cleaning with his tongue before exercising. Maybe he knows something that I don't about dirt.

A greyhound that I have often looked after at his home has taught me the value of good friends and strong character. Sometimes he greets me with a squeeze of his favourite squeaky toy, but at other times, he merely watches me as I come into the house, like an old friend who needs no special treatment to feel valued.

Patience is also a virtue that the dogs, and occasionally cats, show as I use my background in English literature and interest in theatre and popular culture to apply the lessons of Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan, or even Looney Toons to the canine or feline situations of the hour.

What dog, even while distracted by searching for the source of an interesting smell, would not want to hear that his or her situation recalls aspects of The Mikado or even King Lear?The connections between animal and various literary works might be obscure, but coming up with appropriate quotations helps to keep my mind active.

As I talk to the animals, I also enjoy the chance to speak without the many interruptions that too often come when people converse together.

Whether they lead towns and cities or merely provide companionship and life lessons, animals can help teach us what it means to be human.

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