Officials at the University of Connecticut welcomed a new celebrity on Wednesday and they say he’s a very good guy.
Jonathan XV is a 2-month-old Siberian Husky who will become the official mascot of the UConn Husky this fall.
University of Connecticut President Radenka Maric, right, pets Jonathan XV, a 2-month-old Siberian husky who will become the official mascot of UConn Husky this fall, Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in Storrs, Connecticut . (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)
The pup was born in Ontario, Canada, on April 19 as part of a litter of six puppies and arrived on campus on June 17, school spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. He was introduced Wednesday morning to the school’s board of trustees.
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The 12-pound (5.4-kilogram) pup lives with the same host family as current UConn mascot Jonathan XIV and is being trained for his new roles, which include appearing at sporting and other events on campus and doing promotions on social networks. Reitz said.
UConn students, from left, Jenna Epstein and Laura Centanni pose with UConn mascots Jonathan XIV and Jonathan XV in front of the school’s board of trustees on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 U in Storrs, Connecticut. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)
«Jonathan XV is a very fast learner and he’s adorable,» he said. «He does things like sit when his older brother sits down and really admire him.»
The two dogs will make joint appearances for now, with Jonathan XV taking over as mascot when the older dog retires in October, Reitz said.
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Jonathan XIV, born in Arkansas, is 9 years old. He was introduced as UConn’s mascot in January 2014 and began his role in August of that year, replacing a skittish Jonathan XIII, who had a hard time dealing with large crowds.
Jonathan XIV had a medical scare in January when a mass was found in his spleen and doctors removed the organ. That growth was determined to be benign and the dog recovered, Reitz said.
UConn’s mascots, Jonathan XIV and Jonathan XV, are photographed outside the school’s board of directors on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 U in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)
He traveled to Texas in April and was with the men’s basketball team when they won the NCAA championship.
The school’s mascots are named after Jonathan Trumbull, the last colonial and first state governor of Connecticut, and are cared for by the Alpha Phi Omega mixed-service fraternity.
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The Husky has been the mascot of UConn since 1933, when it was selected in a survey of students.