It’s #dogsatpollingstations! Pooches across Britain wait outside as owners cast their European votes (and even those without a pet are getting in on the act)
- The European Parliamentary election polls have opened across the UK
- Many polling stations have banned democracy-loving dogs from buildings
- Pet owners have posted pictures on Twitter of their pets waiting outside stations
Pictures of democracy-loving dogs who have been forced to wait outside European election polling stations as their owners go to vote are flooding Twitter.
#dogsatpollingstations is the second-highest trending topic in the UK on Twitter and one fan has dubbed it as the ‘best thing about UK politics at the moment’.
Guidelines from the Electoral Commission say that dogs can enter polling stations in an ‘accompanying’ role but many have decided to not let dogs in their buildings.
In response to having their pets banned from the polling stations, animal lovers posted pictures of their pets patiently waiting outside the buildings.
One man decided to get on in on the act despite not having a pooch – by posting a picture of himself outside a polling station on all fours and holding a ballot paper in his mouth.
Those lucky enough to to be able to allow their dogs in the polling station have been advised to put their dogs on a lead at all times.
Seventy-three MEPs are set to be elected in nine constituencies in England, and one each in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Those lucky enough to to be able to allow their dogs in a polling station have been advised to put their dogs on a lead at all times like this Labrador Retriever owned by Mark Wakefield
![The European Parliamentary election polls have opened across the UK but many democracy-loving dogs like this terrier have been forced to wait outside as their owners go to vote](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849364-7061799-The_European_Parliamentary_election_polls_have_opened_across_the-m-34_1558601504171.jpg)
The European Parliamentary election polls have opened across the UK but many democracy-loving dogs like this terrier have been forced to wait outside as their owners go to vote
![Simon Parker decided to get on in the act and posted a picture of himself outside a polling station on all fours and holding a ballot paper in his mouth](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849358-7061799-One_man_decided_to_get_on_in_the_act_and_posted_a_picture_of_him-m-35_1558601533571.jpg)
Simon Parker decided to get on in the act and posted a picture of himself outside a polling station on all fours and holding a ballot paper in his mouth
![This poor brown-colored pooch was forced to sit outside a polling station in Carluke, South Lanarkshire, Scotland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13850966-7061799-image-a-29_1558600258702.jpg)
This poor brown-colored pooch was forced to sit outside a polling station in Carluke, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
![These pair of dogs were up bright and early so they could vote but it meant by the time they got to the polling station in South Kent they were a little sleepy](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849390-7061799-image-a-23_1558599145047.jpg)
These pair of dogs were up bright and early so they could vote but it meant by the time they got to the polling station in South Kent they were a little sleepy
![Many polling stations like this one in West Kensington, London banned dogs from their buildings](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/11/13855198-7061799-Many_polling_stations_like_this_one_in_West_Kensington_London_ba-m-46_1558607643630.jpg)
Many polling stations like this one in West Kensington, London banned dogs from their buildings
![This black and white collie owned by Steph Taylor waited outside the polling station in Cumbria as his owner was one of the first one to drop her vote in the ballot box](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849382-7061799-image-a-16_1558599130074.jpg)
This black and white collie owned by Steph Taylor waited outside the polling station in Cumbria as his owner was one of the first one to drop her vote in the ballot box
![This adorable dog sported a windswept-look as they waited for their owner Sinead Hensey to cast her vote in Windsor, Berkshire](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849380-7061799-image-a-15_1558599128438.jpg)
This adorable dog sported a windswept-look as they waited for their owner Sinead Hensey to cast her vote in Windsor, Berkshire
![This woman took her three dalmations with gleaming coats to the polling station](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849376-7061799-image-a-14_1558599126979.jpg)
This woman took her three dalmations with gleaming coats to the polling station
![Anne Rawson's labradoodle was dressed in this snazzy red harness when it went to the polling station in Chiddingfold, Surrey](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849378-7061799-image-a-13_1558599121929.jpg)
Anne Rawson’s labradoodle was dressed in this snazzy red harness when it went to the polling station in Chiddingfold, Surrey
![Abigale Telford's hound waiting patiently outside a polling station in Leeds, West Yorkshire](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849368-7061799-image-a-12_1558599119355.jpg)
Abigale Telford’s hound waiting patiently outside a polling station in Leeds, West Yorkshire
![This labrador in Portsmouth, Hampshire looks quite content to be sat outside a polling station as its owner casts its vote](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849372-7061799-image-a-11_1558599117809.jpg)
This labrador in Portsmouth, Hampshire looks quite content to be sat outside a polling station as its owner casts its vote
![Stuart Fisher's dog Rupert](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/10/13849374-7061799-Stuart_Fisher_said_his_dog_Rupert_was_going_to_vote_for_a_barkin-a-43_1558602323739.jpg)
![A medical detection dog at a polling station in Leeds, West Yorkshire](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/10/13849366-7061799-This_medical_detection_dog_accompanied_its_owner_Natasha_Coates_-m-42_1558602319325.jpg)
Stuart Fisher said his dog Rupert (left) was going to vote for a ‘barking mad candidate’. Right, a medical detection dog which accompanied its owner Natasha Coates, who is a disabled gymnast, to a polling station in Nottingham
![#dogsatpollingstations is the second-highest trending topic in the UK on Twitter and one fan has dubbed it as the 'best thing about UK politics at the moment'. One of the pictures posted showed this dog outside the Ross Street Community Centre in Cambridge, which is being used as a polling station](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849362-7061799-image-a-6_1558599106370.jpg)
#dogsatpollingstations is the second-highest trending topic in the UK on Twitter and one fan has dubbed it as the ‘best thing about UK politics at the moment’. One of the pictures posted showed this dog outside the Ross Street Community Centre in Cambridge, which is being used as a polling station
![Guidelines from the Electoral Commission say that dogs can enter polling stations in an 'accompanying' role but many polling stations have decided to not let dogs in their buildings](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/09/13849360-7061799-image-a-5_1558599104959.jpg)
Guidelines from the Electoral Commission say that dogs can enter polling stations in an ‘accompanying’ role but many polling stations have decided to not let dogs in their buildings
![This democracy-loving dog in Wales](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/13/13849356-7061799-This_democracy_loving_dog_in_Wales_posed_for_a_picture_outside_t-a-7_1558614033154.jpg)
![This little one went along to the polling station in Glasgow, Scotland](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/13/13858434-7061799-image-m-6_1558614026951.jpg)
A democracy-loving dog (left) in Wales posed for a picture outside the polling station. The fluffy pooch on the right headed to a polling station in Glasgow, Scotland with its owner Lorna Semple
![This dog owned by Jack Maltese looks eager to cast a vote in Watford, East London](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/05/23/13/13858436-7061799-image-a-3_1558614007693.jpg)
This dog owned by Jack Maltese looks eager to cast a vote in Watford, East London