UK Election Day Sees Pets, High Stakes

Voters in the UK are participating in a national election to choose 650 lawmakers, with the Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, expected to lose to the Labour Party under Keir Starmer. Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 10 p.m., with results anticipated early Friday. A notable feature of this election day has been the presence of pets at polling stations, including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and even a snake, as voters share images on social media using the hashtag #dogsatpollingstations. Assistance dogs are allowed inside polling stations, while other pets can be permitted at the discretion of local authorities. Celebrities like Piers Morgan and Myleene Klass have also promoted voting through their social media accounts.