Murfee facts for kids

Murfee, a cute male Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was born on August 15, 2016. He became famous as the second animal ever elected as an honorary mayor! This happened in the town of Fair Haven, Vermont on March 3, 2020. Murfee was born in Oregon. Later that year, Linda and Ray Barker, who live in Fair Haven, Vermont, adopted him.

In the fall of 2017, Murfee became a certified therapy dog. This means he helps people feel better. He also earned special titles from the AKC. These titles are for being a Therapy Dog and a Canine Good Citizen. Murfee was so popular that he was re-elected for a second term on March 3, 2021!

Murfee's Work as a Therapy Dog

Right after becoming a certified therapy dog in 2017, Murfee started working. He joined Caring Canines Therapy Dogs of Southern Vermont, Inc. His owner, Linda Barker, is the president of this group.

Murfee visited many places to help people. He went to hospitals and care centers. He also visited schools, colleges, and universities. These visits happened all over southern Vermont. According to his website, Murfee spends about 10 hours each week doing this important work.

Becoming Mayor: The 2020 Race

On January 31, 2020, Murfee's chance to be mayor was announced. The Fair Haven Police Department shared the news on their Facebook page. The very next day, the story became national news! CNN was the first big network to cover his election.

Murfee's public profile grew a lot over the next month. Articles about him appeared in other countries. These included stories in Croatia on Index.hr and in Portugal.

Murfee's National Fame

After Murfee was elected mayor, he became even more famous. He appeared on popular TV shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and The Today Show. Many articles about him were published across the United States and worldwide. He even appeared in the June 29, 2020, issue of People magazine!

Murfee's Mayoral Goals and Achievements

The main reason for the honorary mayor's job is to raise money. This money helps build a new playground for the town of Fair Haven. Murfee has a website and a GoFundMe page to help with this. He also uses his Facebook account to connect with people.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Murfee helped in another way. He collected donations for hundreds of handmade face masks. On January 8, 2021, exciting news was shared. The playground project had successfully raised all the money it needed! After this, Murfee started focusing on a new goal. He began raising funds to build a dog park in Fair Haven.