Delhi turned up to vote for Fat Dogs IRL. Here's what we saw at a 'polling booth'

“Googoo for the win!”“Team Gola always!”

These were the chants in the air as Delhi went to polls on September 30.

From a two-year-old exercising her power to cast a vote to senior citizens showing up at the booths, this was an election nobody imagined in their wildest dreams. After all, the candidates were not humans but four-legged tail-waggers, aka “man’s best friend” — the doggos.

The viral Fat Dogs of Delhi contest reached its final leg yesterday—polling day—when people from across the capital turned up to vote for their favourite fat dog. While online voting through Instagram Stories was, of course, an option, the team also set up four physical polling stations across different parts of Delhi, giving voters the chance to cast their ballots in person.

We visited one such station: Aku's burger shop in South Delhi's Vasant Vihar market. Vasant Vihar polling booth was cute and sparkly. (Photo: Author)

For anyone living under a rock, Fat Dogs of Delhi started as an Instagram page featuring some of Delhi’s chunkiest neighbourhood dogs and eventually turned into a full-blown electoral contest, complete with 64 contenders, multiple rounds of voting and, finally, physical polling booths. Voters wrote the name of their chosen candidate on a sticky note and got a star sticker in place of an inked finger.

The cafe, otherwise abuzz with foodies, was now occupied by dog lovers. A cute, sparkly ballot box greeted them at the counter. There was, of course, a glimpse of the candidates to choose from—Googoo and Gola, in this case - along with some very clear instructions, including one that read: “And oh, no riots, please.” While the peak time for voting was around 2 pm, there was a queue in the evening too. (Photo: Author) A reunion, a conversation starter

As we spent some time at the station, one thing was clear: people weren’t just there to cast a vote.

The contest had given old friends and family a new reason to reconnect—and, in some cases, a new conversation starter.

For Oindrila, 24, and Shruti, 23, Fat Dogs of Delhi became an unexpected way to break the ice. “We hadn’t been talking for a while, but this was something we could talk about. Instead of the boring, ‘Oh, how’s the weather?’, we were like, ‘Did you hear about the Fat Dogs of Delhi?’” Oindrila said.

For siblings Charul and Divyangshu, the contest became a bonding ritual. They would spend their evenings voting for their favourites together. “He’s not on Instagram, so we used to collectively vote together,” Charul said."I came because... why not?"

When we asked around, several people said coming to the booth was an “impulsive” decision. The mood was simple: why not?

For college student Aryan, 20, showing up was as spontaneous as the contest itself. “I’ve been following this since the beginning, when it started as a movement of its own and people began voting - Round of 64, Round of 32 and finally the finale. Yesterday, I just asked my friend, ‘Let’s come and vote,’” he said.

His friend Adya, 19, had discovered the contest only the week before. “It was really intriguing to see people taking this so seriously, even making posters for it. It was very fun, so I thought, why not?” she said. People wrote their choices on a yellow sticky note and dropped in the box. It was some serious business. (Author)

By now, one thing was clear: some had come because they love dogs, some because their friends dragged them along, and others simply wanted to see what happens when an internet joke spills into real life.

And if you thought this was just a Gen Z affair, think again. How Delhi turned up to vote for their favourite fat dog. (Photo: Akus/Instagram, fatdogsofdelhi/Instagram) Gen Alpha to Gen X showed up too

It wasn’t just friends tagging along. A 54-year-old dad showed up too.

“I was at home when the kids told me about it, and I got intrigued. I wanted to know what the younger generation was so excited about, so I came along. I even voted after seeing the candidates’ photos here at the booth!” Vipul said.

There was even a two-year-old first-time voter. We missed her at the booth, but were told she was delighted to receive her star. Well, everyone was equally excited after receiving the star. (Photo: Author)

Of course, not everyone is looking at the contest through rose-tinted — or should we say, puppy-eyed — glasses."Cute but unhealthy contest"

The deaths of two dogs featured in the contest—Gola, one of the finalists, and Tara—have also brought the issue of canine obesity into the conversation.

Some people online have questioned whether celebrating extremely overweight dogs risks making an unhealthy condition seem cute. Voters, too, were aware of the concern.

Shruti, an animal lover who cast her vote, called the contest “cute but unhealthy.”

“I mean, it’s nice, but obesity also concerns me. We have to think if they actually died because they were obese because it has similar health ramifications that it does in humans. It would be nice if we could actually do something to get them fitter and maybe live for longer,” she said.

For others, however, the contest was a way to shine a light on Delhi’s strays.

“I personally believe it’s a movement of its own. People will actually start caring for obese dogs and helping them out. We can see the current state of Delhi, with all the protests happening. It’s a complete change of dynamic, and I think people must have enjoyed it as well,” Aryan said.

For Divyangshu, the contest was also about getting people to notice Delhi’s often-overlooked strays. “People are becoming more aware and meeting these dogs. They’re petting them and giving them love. They’re street dogs, and they usually go unnoticed, so that’s great.” 'Fat Dogs of Delhi' competition participants left dog lovers divided over their health concerns. (Photos: Instagram/fatdogsofdelhi; stylised by Vani Gupta/India Today)

The voters have spoken. But what does the person behind this whole doggy democracy have to say?The woman behind the viral phenomenon speaks up

For the 22-year-old founder of the Instagram handle Fat Dogs of Delhi, who wishes to remain anonymous, the contest began as a simple idea—one she never expected to grow this big.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, she said the real-life voting was never part of the original plan. The idea came together just three days before the finale, when she and a group of pet lovers and volunteers decided to make it happen.

“We’ve built such a sense of community in the past two weeks. It was online from the very start, so I thought, why not actually interact with people?” she said. In true Gen Z fashion, it was, essentially, “for the plot”.

On the criticism that the contest is “insensitive”, she said, “I don’t have a comment on that. I know that we’re doing all that we can for these dogs.” She added that the team is raising funds, working with NGOs and caretakers, and speaking to sponsors about supporting the winners, other street dogs and animal welfare organisations. Nisha, a staff member at the cafe also cast her vote. (Photo:Author) Results awaited

There were no manifestos, no heated speeches and certainly no promises to fix Delhi. Just people comparing dog photos, arguing over their favourites, meeting friends and giving a few very round Delhi dogs their moment in the spotlight.

So, while the internet may have started this with a simple “look at this chunky dog” moment, the conversation has become slightly bigger.

While the exit polls seem to be rooting for Gola, one thing is for sure — there will be no riots. Because if the prize is a little extra love for a street dog, well, that’s one election result everyone can get behind.- Ends

Travel-Colours-Quirks are things Jigyasa associates with. She is someone who enjoys the world of stories and believes that one travels through narratives they write and share. Her mantra for life is -"Hakuna Matata." Currently, she covers lifestyle and everything and anything that falls under the umbrella.