Minnesota governor makes good on campaign promise, gets family dog

Published 8:08 pm Thursday, September 5, 2019

ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s first family now has a first dog.

Gov. Tim Walz and his son, Gus, introduced the newest resident of the Governor’s Mansion on Thursday — a 3-month-old black Lab mix named Scout.

When Democrat Walz announced his candidacy for governor in 2017, he and his wife, Gwen, promised their son Gus that the family would adopt a dog if Walz won. When Walz won in November, Gus exclaimed “I get a dog!”

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The Walz family adopted Scout over Labor Day weekend from Midwest Animal Rescue & Services. Scout was discovered abandoned in a box in Oklahoma.

Walz said he is proud that Scout is a rescue dog.

The Governor’s Mansion has been without a first dog since Walz took office in January. Scout joins the Walz family cat, Afton.