Meet Mango, Brewster’s 2025 Top Dog

BREWSTER – There’s a new Top Dog in town, and her name is Mango. 

Mango, an almost 3-year-old coconut retriever, won the annual contest after more than 150 residents cast votes.

Mango is a talkative, sweet girl who loves to share licks whenever she can. She loves people and is a little timid with other dogs at first, but once she warms up, she’s very playful. She’s known for having a lot to say when her mom and dad come through the front door. Despite her Caribbean roots, she loves the cold. This time of year, her family can find her laying on their back deck enjoying the chilly temperatures.

In 2022, Jackie Tellier and George Penner adopted Mango and her sister, Coconut, from SXM Paws, an animal rescue facility in St. Maarten. While they regularly travel to the island, Mango was a bit of an unplanned surprise. As Penner was going to pick up lunch, he ran into a neighbor who was watching a puppy that his friends had been fostering. After a few quick glances, Penner realized he recognized the man as a local server who was an incredible fish filleter. 

Penner brought a photo of the puppy home to show his wife. They visited the dog and ended up falling in love with a second puppy. They decided to adopt both dogs.

“It’s very serendipitous, isn’t it?” said Tellier.

SXM Paws is working to care for and help the stray dog population that’s ever growing on the island, facilitating medical care, setting up fosters, providing food and working on finding forever homes. 

Penner and Tellier said they had to flip a coin for which pup they would nominate as the town’s Top Dog, and Mango beat out her sister. 

2024’s top dog, Louie, is a neighbor of the family and campaigned heavily for Mango’s victory. The Top Dog receives the town’s number 1 dog license, for which the fee is waived, plus a basket of goodies from Agway.

For more information on the rescue, visit sxmpaws.com.