This past Thursday, Uga VII, the four-year-old mascot of the Georgia Bulldogs, passed away from an apparent heart attack.
Based on the outrage dog lovers expressed when Michael Vick was reinstated by the NFL, I was expecting a public outcry demanding the banning of animal mascots at college sporting events. However, all I heard was statements of what a loss it was for University of Georgia fans everywhere.
An animal dies, and people feel bad for the humans who will no longer see a dog sit in the hot sun for at least three hours—it makes perfect sense to me.
There is no proof that the heart attack was brought on by the dog attending football games, but the fact remains that the use of animals at college football games is a clear example of animal cruelty.
The various Ugas may travel in air conditioned dog houses and sit on bags of ice during games, but the fact remains that the English Bulldog is a breed that is susceptible to heat stroke.
I doubt any of the Ugas were asked if they wanted to be a mascot for a football team. If I was a bulldog, I may want to root for Fresno State, Louisiana Tech, or Mississippi State, but certainly I would de...
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