Rescued Chihuahua Recognized as Mayor for a Day
Pet parents will go to almost any length to make their fur babies feel loved and cherished. It’s even more rewarding when we can do that while also raising awareness for an important cause. SPCA volunteer Amy Sabatino took this to the next level when her one-eyed Chihuahua rescue Yiggy was proclaimed Mayor of Reno, Nevada for the day in this amazing pet story!
Yiggy was gifted the opportunity after Amy won the bid for a coveted mayor-for-a-day prize at the SPCA of Northern Nevada’s annual “An Affur to Remember” Charity Gala. This honor was kindly donated by Reno’s actual Mayor Hillary Schieve. All of the proceeds from the event were donated to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Northern Nevada, which is a no-kill dog shelter based in Reno. Not only did Amy make her pup feel like the top dog for a day, but they also were able to raise awareness about the importance and benefit of adopting shelter dogs.
Amy’s pet adoption story began with a little bit of luck and just the right timing! She came across Yiggy while picking up dogs during a rural dog rescue trip in Winnemucca 2 years ago. The animal control dog shelter there was running out of space, and Yiggy, who had not yet been adopted, was scheduled to be euthanized soon. Fortunately, Amy decided to take Yiggy with her. While she originally only intended to foster him until the SPCA could take Yiggy in and find him a forever home, Yiggy ended up fitting right in! Amy and her son fell in love with the special pup right away. They decided to adopt Yiggy themselves, and he found his forever home as the newest member of her family.
In true top-dog fashion, Yiggy began his one-day term as mayor with a limousine escort to his swearing-in ceremony. At City Hall he met Reno’s Mayor Hillary Schieve, received his proclamation, and got right down to business. His priorities while in office, according to the SPCA, were “spaying and neutering, free belly rubs, and lots of dog treats at all of the local restaurants for the town’s four-legged citizens!” Raising awareness for pet adoptions and looking good while doing it, Yiggy toured his favorite spots in Reno throughout the day, posing for photos at the city’s various landmarks. He even stopped by the Whitney Peak Hotel, where we hear he enjoyed some doggie treats and was showered with lots of love!
After a hard day of work, Yiggy hung up his politician’s hat and announced his retirement. To honor his time served with the city of Reno, he was gifted with a retirement package donated by his good friends here at Chewy! The honorary dog mayor went home with a dog bed, bowl, gift basket and a 60-pound bag of dog food. Yiggy is sure to live out the rest of his days happy and filled with love. We hope he’s inspired his neighbors to adopt a shelter pet!
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