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Dog that pees beer at Bosco's.
The dead dog that pees beer at Bosco's.

Bosco the Dog Mayor

Field review by the editors.

Sunol, California

Died 1994

Pet Cemetery.

Bosco Ramos has been dead since 1994, but Sunol, California still misses their dog mayor. Bosco was elected to that honorary title of the small, unincorporated town in 1981.

Bosco was a mix of black Labrador and Rottweiler, ostensibly the Stillman family pet, but ultimately a classic town mascot. He would hang out in front of the local bar, mooching treats from friends and visitors. If bar patrons were plastered, Bosco was known to accompany each on a sobering stroll along the railroad tracks.

Bosco Dog Mayor statue.
The Dog Mayor statue, unveiled Dec. 19, 2008.

In 1981, in an election hatched by locals as a joke, Bosco Ramos ran against two human candidates for the mayoral slot, and beat both. He became known as America's first dog mayor. He led the annual Halloween parade, and could often be seen at Sunol events and social gatherings in his formal tuxedo.

Between official functions, the mayor had "free run of the town," and apparently had a plan to increase his constituency. "He's the father of a lot of little black puppies around Sunol," one local told us.

The Dog Mayor saw Sunol through the big fire of December 1987, when downtown essentially incinerated. The 125-year old Lyon's Brewery and other buildings were destroyed. As firefighters fought the blaze, Bosco sat out in front on his rug, "looking sad," according to one witness.

"A Symbol of Democracy and Freedom"

Bosco dispenses beer.
Back for another pint at Bosco's Bones and Brew.

In 1989, Bosco's fame ignited internationally after a Chinese Communist newspaper, the Peoples Daily, proclaimed his election was proof that democratic elections don't work. In the wake of Tianamen Square, Bosco was an invited, high profile participant in a 30-hour pro-democracy rally in front of the Chinese consulate in San Francisco. He was "a symbol of democracy and freedom," said Sunol resident Solveig Shearer.

Bosco died peacefully in his sleep in 1994; a few days earlier, he'd been driven around town to survey his domain one last time.

The Dog That Pees Beer

Though no animal (or human) filled the vacancy, Sunol wasn't ready to forget their leader -- though the town is split on the degree of reverence required. A restaurant calling itself Bosco's Bones and Brew opened in 1999 featuring a specially engineered, Bosco-like stuffed dead dog behind the bar.

Bosco's.

The dog pees!

The bartender lifts the dog's left rear leg to draw a pint of beer. Bosco's Bones & Brew is under new ownership, but the dog is still tapped and sampled daily. When we visited, bartender Michelle coaxed the dead dog into streaming Michelob Dark.

Bosco the Dog Mayor Statue

A more loving tribute was unveiled on December 19, 2008, a bronze statue of Bosco next to the post office, under the town clock. Lena Toritch, a Russian artist living in Salt Lake City, was selected by the town to create the sculpture. Her bronze of Bosco features his signature kerchief and lolling tongue, ready for a treat or a good luck rub.

Video: Sunol Remembers Mayor Bosco

Also see: Mascots | Roadside Pet Cemetery

Bosco the Dog Mayor

Address:
11925 Main St., Sunol, CA
Directions:
Statue is on Main St. next to the post office and the town clock. Stuffed Bosco at Bosco's Bones & Brew Restaurant, 11922 Main Street.
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights
Roadside Videos
Sunol Remembers Mayor Bosco

Bosco the Dog Mayor.

A bronze statue was unveiled in 2008, honoring America's Dog Mayor, Bosco Ramos.Go to video


Nearby Offbeat Places

Sunol Water TempleSunol Water Temple, Sunol, CA - < 1 mi.
Niles Essanay Silent Film MuseumNiles Essanay Silent Film Museum, Fremont, CA - 5 mi.
Mini-Forest of Crate-Bound Oak TreesMini-Forest of Crate-Bound Oak Trees, Fremont, CA - 6 mi.
In the region:
Parrots of Telegraph Hill, San Francisco, CA - 31 mi.

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