Goodbye Uga VIII

Uga VIII died Friday, at not quite 17 months old and after only a half-season as the University of Georgia mascot. He was diagnosed early last month with lymphoma, a common cancer in dogs.

Uga VIII, born Sept. 12, 2009, took over as the Bulldogs’ mascot at the Oct. 16, 2010, homecoming football game against Vanderbilt in Sanford Stadium. He served for the final six games of the regular season but did not travel to Memphis for the Liberty Bowl because of what was thought at the time to be a gastrointestinal condition.

After the cancer diagnosis, Uga VIII began chemotherapy treatments, which veterinarians hoped would extend his life. Uga VIII died Friday morning, according to Georgia senior associate athletic director Claude Felton. He died in his sleep and was not in any pain at the time. He was laid to rest on Saturday at a private burial ceremony at Sanford Stadium where the previous Uga’s are buried.

“Russ,” the six-year-old half-brother of the late Uga VII, again will serve as the Georgia mascot on an interim basis, according to the Seiler family. After the November 2009 death of Uga VII from heart-related causes, Russ filled in for the final two games of that season and the first six of 2010, as well as at the Liberty Bowl.

Thanks Uga VIII for your short but honorable career.