More dogs should be in public service

Hewitt makes the rounds every day in the government offices of Snohomish County which is where Everett, Wash.,  is located.

He's not a government employee, but people call him the sixth member of the County Council.

In reality, there are five elected council members. Hewitt is a terrier mix about the size of a small poodle. He's been a fixture at the office for about a year and a half, after being handed through a car window one day as County Councilman Dave Somers sat in traffic.

Read the entire story by Noah Haglund from the Everett Daily Herald here. There is a picture of Hewitt—cute.

While in traffic about two years ago, a car pulled up next to Somers with two men in it. One of them asked if Somers wanted to buy a dog.


He declined but later when they pulled up next to him again and asked if he would take the dog. Concerned about the dog's safety, Somers agreed.

The councilman had Hewitt a few months before bringing him by the office. He hadn't done this with other dogs, but this one liked people so much. In turn, people at work took a shine to the friendly critter—and to the story behind his name.

"He lightens the mood," said Eric Parks, Somers' legislative aide.