Shelby, the canine leader of Occupy Denver, and noted political activist

is running for President of the United States of America.

She wags for:

Fair and equal representation for all Americans

Responsible, moral, domestic and foreign policy

Honest, courageous political discussion

Diverse, passionate political points of view

She barks at:

Corporate controlled plutocracy

Policy based on lobbyist dollars and political maneuvering

Manipulative sound bites based on polling data

Blue vs. Red political speech

Who the

hell is Shelby the Dog?

In the early days of the Occupy movement, a common criticism was that as a leaderless movement, it was doomed to failure.

Without leaders there can be no organization right? Without leaders there can be no vision, and no unity.

A movement without hierarchical leadership is just a mindless mob!

In November of 2011, in response to these criticisms, Occupy Denver took an unprecedented step. It elected a leader. On that evening, Shelby, a border collie often seen roaming the Occupation with her owner, or lounging near Occupy General Assemblies, became the one and only elected leader in the entire Occupy movement.

In her tenure she has attended dozens of protests, slept many nights in the cold while standing up for her right to enjoy public space, and spent countless hours patiently training her subordinates. She has also dived into the all important role of ambassador, building important ties between Denver, Boulder and other regional movements.

Shelby has also stood strong in the face of adversity. She does not seek out confrontation but does she shy away from it when her values are on the line. She has repeated stood her ground when threatened by local authorities and has even been detained for fulfilling her responsibilities as an Occupier.

To the left we proudly present footage from the actual General Assembly where Shelby the Dog began her illustrious career. May she continue to serve Colorado and the people of this fine country.

10/29/12 Come to this Shelby Sponsored event at the Gypsy House in Denver:

10/25/12 article in Westword magazine:

A vote for Shelby the dog is a vote for politics as unusual

I f you've heard nothing about Shelby the Border Collie before this sentence, know this: Her dedication to third-party politics is, well, dogged. In fact, the happy, furry canine and her black-and-white patches first made national (and international) headlines about this time last year, when she launched her first-ever political campaign. On November 6, 2011, Shelby stood up on her own four paws and was elected the leader of Occupy Denver. Exactly one year later, her sights are set on a bigger gig: President of the United States.

And while Mandel and a few others plan to write in Shelby's name on their ballots, the real message is less literal. "We're not serious about running Shelby as much as we are about bringing out alternative voices," Mandel says. In a system split between red and blue, Shelby, like the swing state in which she lives, is purple. "To vote for Shelby is just to vote for alternative candidates and open political dialogue."Well, sort of. When she snagged the spot as head honcho of the local occupation, her victory was both ironic and symbolic. The same is true this time around, says her (human) campaign manager, Chris Mandel. If corporations count as people, so does Shelby, he says — and in a system that hardly recognizes third-party candidates, Shelby counts just the same. "Her main message is that partisan politics don't work," he says. "It's all really a lie designed to separate the people from one another."

Shelby began her candidacy late in the race: In July, she was officially endorsed at an Occupy Denver assembly of around 25 people, but that endorsement was hard-fought. When she began her career in politics last year, a handful of people left the movement because they saw the decision as a political mockery. But Mandel maintains that Shelby's appointment as leader was one of the best decisions Occupy Denver has made to date.

"I think she's done really well in office. Some people criticize her for not spending enough time in Denver," Mandel says, noting that Shelby actually resides in Boulder. "But she's done a lot of networking outside of the city, and she's a true activist." During a visit to Occupy Boulder, Shelby incurred a ticket — for her owner — when she was protesting off-leash.

There is one slight constitutional issue, as well. Shelby, who is four and a half years old, isn't old enough to run — even in dog years.

Amazingly, Shelby isn't the first Colorado canine to seek the White House: In 1984, Denver'sPirate the Dog ran for the same spot. But the state's electoral totals came up Republican that year. Could Colorado's more current swing-state status afford Shelby more votes?

Probably not. Mandel admits she really only has the one position: Reconsider the current electoral process. On her website, shelbylovesamerica.org, she echoes that message. "On anything as specific as abortion or immigration, her opinion is 'Bark bark bark bark bark,'" Mandel says. "She's a vague symbolic figure, but she promises to let everybody, even big corporations, pet her."

So could a dog be president? Is a dog even a person? Before answering these questions, consider the following:

Characteristic	Human	Dog	Corporation
% of DNA in common with species Homo Sapien	%100	%75	%0.00
Has blood, brain, heart and other organs	Yes	Yes	no
Has emotional bonding instincts	Yes	Yes	no
Has capacity to sacrifice for others	Yes	Yes	no
Has singular function to create profit at any cost	no	no	Yes

Come to shelby's video page to view campaign ads

and other movies involving Shelby.

occupy, Occupy denver, occupy wall street, election, presidential election, voting, romney, obama, shelby loves america, shelby,

"Are you planning on voting this November? Why or why not."

Visit Shelby's video page to answer this question

and view videos of others expressing themselves.

Subpages (2): Campaign Adds Who the Hell is Shelby the Dog?

Shelby Loves America

A vote for Shelby the dog is a vote for politics as unusual