Niagara Falls names dog honorary mayor
Niagara Falls’ new mayor may give you paws.
Pal the German Sheppard was named honorary mayor of the Ontario city at a ceremony on Friday.
“I made him mayor. I deputized him…he was in my office -- I say my office, but it’s his now,” actual Mayor Jim Diodati told CTV News Toronto on Friday.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The one-and-a-half-year-old dog has become well known in the Niagara Region and beyond, with nearly 700,000 followers across his social media platforms operated by his owner, Mike Lalicich.
Lalicichis using his dog’s celebrity status to support a local fundraising effort, which hopes to purchase a $25,000 portable ultrasound machine for the Niagara Falls Kidney Clinic, and had Pal formally deputized for the weekend to create some buzz for the cause.
“We just thought this would be a great way to get it out there. We’ve got an objective, we want to raise that money and this is our way of helping,” Lalicichtold CTV News Toronto.
Pal the German Shepherd is sworn in as honorary mayor of NIagara Falls on Friday by Mayor Jim Diodati. (The City of Niagara Falls)
Pal’s paw prints were etched into the Niagara Falls guestbook -- which also house the signatures of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Princess Anne -- before he dawned the mayoral chain of office.
Lalicich said that Pal was a good boy for the Friday ceremony, but Diodati added that the transition of power come with an “unintended outcome.”
“Pal has ordered that we're going to build a couple more dog parks, he’s insisted that we add in a bunch of fire hydrants, and apparently he’s banning cats for the weekend so I’m not sure what that’s all about,” Diodati joked.
Niagara Falls residents who may have a bone to pick with the actual mayor will have to wait until Monday morning do so, when Pal steps down as top dog.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
Montreal man facing charges following contraband drone drop at Millhaven: OPP
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says a 40-year-old man from Montreal is facing charges following a suspected drone drop of unauthorized items at the Millhaven Institution.
Potentially toxic chemicals hide in our drinking water and countless household objects, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Nigeria's fashion and dancing styles in the spotlight as Harry, Meghan visit its largest city
Nigeria's fashion and traditional dances were at full display on Sunday as Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in its largest city, Lagos, as part of their three-day visit to the country to promote mental health for soldiers and empower young people.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Police investigating after tow trucks shot at in Scarborough two hours apart
Toronto police are investigating after tow trucks were shot at in Scarborough about two hours apart Saturday night.
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
U.K. foreign secretary says halting arms sales to Israel would only strengthen Hamas
Asked whether the U.K. would follow the U.S. in threatening to cut the supply of offensive weapons to Israel if it carried out an attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the two countries cannot be compared because unlike the U.S., Britain supplies a very small amount of Israel's weapons.