The bulldog — known as J.J. — has been at Georgetown since April 2012, and had been widely expected to take over mascoting duties this fall from the retiring Jack, a 10-year-old bulldog. According to a university statement, J.J. will be sent to a home environment as the school scouts for their next live mascot.
"After 15 months of monitoring and training, in consultation with these experts and the breeder, we determined that returning to a home environment is what is best for J.J.," the statement says.
However, those closest to the bulldog tell the Hoya that this decision came as a shock. "If a student were to have been consulted, it would have been me ... If it’s specifically about J.J., I’m not sure why this is happening," said the head of J.J.'s group of official student walkers.
J.J. and Jack both were cared for by Rev. Christopher Steck, a Georgetown theology professor. "The university's decision is a surprise and disappointment to me. I genuinely believe that JJ would thrive as the next university mascot," he said in a statement.
Although it was initially unclear whether the school would continue with the live mascot tradition, it now seems that they will search for a new bulldog.
To remember J.J. in happier times, here's a video of the pup chasing balloons during his first public appearance last year: