THEY may not be on the electoral roll, but the UK’s dogs were paws-itively enthusiastic about yesterday’s General Election. The hashtag #dogsatpollingstations dominated Twitter yesterday, with voters of all stripes showing off images of their canine companions outside voting booths.
Some were dressed up in party colours, including “wee Jean”, who wore an SNP neckerchief to Whiteinch polling station in Glasgow with Carol Monaghan, who was seeking reelection to Glasgow North West.
Labour’s Chuka Umunna showed off one doggo with a knitted Labour jacket, though he admitted the snap had not been taken at a polling station, and other pooches put on flags, rosettes and their best behaviour.
Social network users who didn’t have a canine companion offered pictures of their kids in situ as a consolation or shared images of cats who happened by polling station doors, with one woman even taking her guinea pig to the ballot box.
However, not everyone was impressed by the antics – The National’s own Wee Ginger Dug despaired that the hashtag included an emoji of a terrier with a Union Jack on it.
Ginger’s owner, Paul Kavanagh, tweeted: “Scottish indy supporting Ginger is not at all impressed that the #dogsatpollingstations hashtag has a dug with a Union flag on it.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here