Mazapán in his new guayabera.
The mayor of Villa de Mitla, Oaxaca, is under fire from animal rights activists and residents for dressing Mazapán — a street dog that became a star earlier this year for his dance moves — in a guayabera for the state’s Guelaguetza celebration.
Mazapán rose to fame in February when videos of the dog dancing and turning in perfect step with dancers in traditional dress went viral on social media. The dog has also been an enthusiastic participant in marathons and protest marches.
On Sunday, Mayor Abelardo Ruiz Acevedo published several photos of Mazapán in his new shirt.
Although some social media users congratulated the mayor on his present, others criticized the tailored guayabera as a misuse of public money and reminded him that Villa de Mitla’s sewage and drainage systems were in urgent need of repair, and urged the mayor to focus his efforts and spending on public works rather than on shirts for dogs.
Hilda Toledo, a member of an animal protection society, demanded that the mayor take down the photos because they represented a “despicable [attitude] because it makes use of Mazapán as an object, which demonstrates how miserable human beings are.”
Meanwhile, away from the spotlight and controversy, Mazapán has enjoyed a more stable home life in recent months. In March, another animal rights organization revealed that the dog had been adopted by a loving family just a couple of blocks away from downtown streets.
The organization assured that whenever fireworks and dancing feet are heard in the street, the pup will also be there, barking and whirling ecstatically, and that when the fun is over his new family will be there waiting to take him home.
Source: Milenio (sp), El Universal (sp)
