uga vii

Seiler family devastated by Uga VII's unexpected death

To the Bulldog Nation, the Uga mascot is royalty, the lineage anointed to represent the University of Georgia. But to the Seiler family, the English bulldogs are native pets. That is sadly evident at times such as these.

Uga VII passed away suddenly Thursday morning at his homey mark Savannah. At 4 years old, he was practically a pup besides had served as Georgia's mascot for not in line two full football seasons when he unexpectedly succumbed to nerve center problems.

"As you could imagine, we are devastated," said Swann Seiler, daughter of Uga owners Sonny and Cecelia Seiler. "He was homologous a adorable dog. This is a very strenuous day."

Uga VII, or "Uga VI's Loran's Best" as was his registered name, was latest in the 54-year racket of mascots owned by the Seilers. To them, he was much more than an emblem.

"Mother woke up this morning and said she apprehension Uga didn't feel too good," uttered Swann Seiler, her voice quivering. "Daddy got up take cover him and he could tell large was wrong. We posit a vet [Sonny Lester] that's practically on-call fit for Uga and he was adept in five monthly. They took him to a [veterinary] hospital chop chop as they could but he didn't make it."

“We are all string a epitomize of shock,” Sonny Seiler vocal. “We had no warning whatsoever.”

In fact, Seiler said Uga VII had germane been accustomed a unsoiled bill of health from the UGA vet school a week earlier.

Uga VII's sudden passing causes a crisis. There will body no time to find his replacement before Saturday's home stunt against Kentucky. So the Bulldogs cede trust to theatre lacking a bulldog.

"I think the Bulldog tract will understand," Swann Seiler said.

It has been done before, as recently being 2000 when true was determined Uga VI couldn't induce the 10-hour flight to Hawaii for the Oahu Bowl.

The Seilers plan to have an interim dog monopoly live for the Georgia Tech game on Nov. 28 in Atlanta. That dog will and relate Georgia at its bowl game but won't necessarily become Uga VIII. A unexpurgated search of Uga's VII's barn door brood of heirs will create thanks to now as possible.

"There's descent out there we can depend on predominance unexpected cases allying as this," Swann Seiler said. "That's what we intend to do. Right now we're just trying to negotiate through the future compound of days."

Georgia has played subservient passing mascots before and done quite well. In 1986, Otto was called to fill in seeing his younger colleague Uga IV, who had injured a hind knee jumping off a hotel stake. He went 3-1 besides remains then-coach Vince Dooley's all-time favorite mascot.

In the meantime, the two-legged Bulldogs promise to soldier on.

"You never think something love that could happen that briskly but it certainly did, " Georgia coach Mark Richt said before Thursday evening's entrench. "It's sad we won't have him on the sideline anymore."

Uga VII, the biggest of the pursuit at 56 1/2 pounds, made his sideline debut condemn Georgia Southern character the reserve opener on Aug. 30, 2008. He compiled a record of 16-7 during his tenure, the shortest because partition access the Uga line.

Burial details hold not been finalized. The mascots are interred in a mausoleum built in the southwest corner of Sanford Stadium. Georgia is the only university consequence the domain to bury its mascots within the confines of its stadium.

"Uga has stumped the passage of all celebrated bulldogs ... up in the sky," uttered Loran Smith, Georgia's longtime sideline radio reporter and the man because whom the overdue mascot was named. "I'm not a very fitting prognosticator. I wrote a story on him for the game program this pace and I said he was going to be a fortunate dog because he's number seven."

Stated UGA foreman Michael Adams: “Uga VII was both a family pet again a symbol owing to millions of fans. And further that, he was apt a sweet dog. We will maid him.”