Among the doom, gloom and general chaos of the US election, there's been a happy little nugget of joy.
An adorable French Bulldog named Wilbur has been elected mayor of a town called Rabbit Hash in Kentucky.
It follows an annual trend in the small town to elect animals as their mayor, with Lady Stone, a black-and-white border collie, announcing the results of 'the most important election that happened this year'.
"Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, has never had an actual person or human as a mayor," Amy Noland, Wilbur's human, told NBC News.
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She added that the political trend emerged way back in the 1990s.
"There was a man named Don Claire who thought it would be a great idea to elect some type of animal - not necessarily a canine - as mayor of town, as a fundraising event for the historical society," she explained.
Celebrating his win, the pooch took to his official Facebook page to thank the town for their support, saying: "Mayor Wilbur here! I got to meet so many lovely people in the last 24 hours..and I can't wait to meet so many more.
"I am humbled and beyond thankful for all of the support from far away and right here at home. Check the news tonight at 6:30, Channel 19, the bright lights are shining on our historical town."
Mayor Wilbur here! I got to meet so many lovely people in the last 24 hours..and I can't wait to meet so many more. I am...
Speaking of the small town's love for animals, Noland said that, along with Wilbur, she has two rescue dogs and also fosters kittens and cats, as well as providing transport for the town's rescue dogs to their new homes.
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She described Wilbur, who she adopted four months ago, as an 'anomaly' because he's an American Kennel Club registered purebred dog.
"He was just so cute," Noland said.
There have been five dog mayors in the town of less than 500 people since the first, Goofy. The last mayor, a pit bull named Brynn, was mayor from 2016 to 2020.
"Although it's not political at all, it always coincides with the presidential election," Noland continued, adding that she ran Wilbur in the election in light of 'all of the negative media that's out there surrounding America, and the election, and Covid-19, so I guess I wanted Wilbur to be something positive in the news'.
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Congrats, Wilbur!
Featured Image Credit: Facebook/Mayor Wilbur of Rabbit Hash KY