Josh Romney campaigns for dad, talks about family’s beloved dog

Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left walks on stage after his son Josh Romney introduced him at his Colorado caucus night rally in Denver, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Dog lovers have taken up issue with Mitt Romney’s treatment of a family dog.

Romney’s son, Josh says that the family dog in question is as cherished as him, if not more so.

Romney’s oft-told story of traveling with his Irish setter, Seamus, on a family vacation in 1983 has even set off a “Google bomb.” Romney has said he put the dog inside a crate and strapped it to the roof rack for a 12-hour drive from Boston to Canada.

“That dog was a real family member,” Josh tells 770 KTTH’s David Boze Show. “When you’ve got five boys in a small car, that dog insisted it was coming with us, one way or the other.”

As animal lovers take issue with Romney’s actions, like those who protested outside last week’s Westminster Dog Show, Josh had a very clear response, “That’s BS man.”

Josh says when he thinks about the trip and bringing the dog a long, “He loved it up there. He jumped up on his own.

“He was, honestly, part of our family, and someone we still talk about regularly.”

Listen to David Boze’s full interview with Josh Romney

Alyssa Kleven, MyNorthwest.com