Even dogs can't stand to be around Gov. Rick Scott

Gov. Rick Scott and Reagan, in happier times.
(Photo by Michael Egger)

What's the deal with Republicans and dogs, anyway?

After 2010 campaign, Gov. Rick Scott gave back dog Reagan

By Lucy Morgan, Tampa Bay Times Senior Correspondent

TALLAHASSEE — Shortly after winning the GOP nomination in 2010, Rick Scott announced to the world through Facebook that his family had rescued a Labrador Retriever.

And, with help from his Facebook friends, Scott gave it a name: Reagan.

"The Scott family is proud to announce that the name (chosen by you) for their newly adopted pup is Reagan! Thanks to everyone who participated in the fun contest,'' read Scott's announcement on his Facebook page.

[...]

But where is Reagan today?

[...]

Asked last week what had happened to the dog, Scott's current and former communications directors refused to answer.

Brian Burgess, communications director during the campaign and for more than a year after Scott took office, now holds a similar position for the state GOP. When a Times reporter asked him where the dog is, Burgess said he thought it "weird'' that two Times reporters would contact him six minutes apart with questions dating back to the 2010 campaign.

But he wouldn't say where the dog was and accused reporters of "surfing some old Facebook or website pages.'' At one point an exasperated reporter asked Burgess if he had killed the dog, and Burgess denied ever killing a dog, but still wouldn't say where Reagan was.

Turns out Reagan - like most humans - couldn't stand to be around Scott.

Scott said Reagan never bit anyone but "scared the living daylights'' out of people at the [governor's] mansion....

So the Scotts gave the dog back to his prior owner, Scott said, about a month after the family moved to Tallahassee. The governor's office on Monday told the Times it was trying to find Reagan and its new family.

Good doggie!

Read the complete Tampa Bay Times story by clicking here.