GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio — A central Ohio dog park has elected its first-ever dog mayor, and his name is Tater. The Labrador retriever beat 79 nominees and five finalists in the contest at The Wag, a “people park and dog bar” at 1330 Norton Ave. just outside Grandview Heights, and was sworn into office at an Oct. 9 ceremony.
Owner-submitted platforms drove the race, and Tater’s included crowd-pleasers: a second dog swim day at the Grandview Heights Municipal Pool, dog greetings for every child leaving Stevenson Elementary School, decriminalizing counter surfing — the beloved canine pastime of snatching unattended food — and patrols to keep an eye on the neighborhood squirrel population.
“From 93 nominations to seeing neighbors rally behind their candidates, the response has been more than we could have hoped for,” said Casie Meyer, owner of The Wag, which opened in November with indoor and outdoor play areas, a bar for humans, a pet store and grooming. “The Wag has always been about creating a place where dogs bring people together, and it’s been really special to see that happen across the entire Grandview community.”
Humans may enter for free, but every dog needs a paid membership and must meet medical, age and behavior requirements. Tater Kasler now holds office until his successor is chosen — and the squirrels of Grandview Heights have officially been put on notice.
