ODU’s mascot puppy, Hudson, has been invited to a play date at Scott Stadium by UVA’s service-dog-in-training, Champ, ending what was becoming a PR nightmare for Virginia Athletics.
“Hey @HudsonODU, I talked to my people and asked if we could have a play date Saturday. They said yes! And guess what? They said we could meet up on the field at the @UVAFootball–@ODUFootball game! You in?” the Champ UVA account tweeted Friday afternoon.
The response from Hudson: “Leave it up to us to help make the good news happen! Let’s fill the Twitter feeds with power of Service Dog puppies! @MuttswaMission & @servicedogsva.”
The news broke Thursday that Hudson, a yellow lab puppy who has become the unofficial official mascot of ODU football, was not going to be allowed on the sidelines for the game, reportedly because of a UVA policy that does not allow service animals in training on their sidelines.
Hudson has accompanied the Monarchs on the field for their first two games this season.
ODU coach Ricky Rahne and his family, earlier this year, signed up for Mutts with a Mission, a two-year program that places puppies at a caregivers’ home for 18 months before returning them back to the organization for six months to train the dogs as service dogs to then place with disabled veterans, first responders and law enforcement for no cost to the recipient.
Rahne and his family adopted Hudson, and so has the ODU football team, which has embraced the pup, calling him “Little Huddy,” welcoming him into the weight room, team meetings and the sidelines.
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Chris Graham
