# Do any sports teams have living, real animals as team “pets” or “mascots” or “ambassadors” or what have you? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 23, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414 "2025-08-23T16:54:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/21 "2025-08-23T20:19:02Z")
The logo of the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL is a galloping white stallion on a red field. Any time the Stampeders score a touchdown in a home game, a pretty cowgirl rides a white stallion around the field, controlling the horse with one hand while waving a large flagpole with the stampeders logo on it. (And now that I’ve explained the touchdown customs of the Stampeders, this Riders fan feels a bit dirty. Sometimes, fighting ignorance ain’t pretty.) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/22 "2025-08-23T20:22:38Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > But did they have actual panthers and tigers on the sideline at games? Because that would be cool! 😃 No, just guys in costume. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/23 "2025-08-23T20:24:51Z")
I strongly suspected so. Not trying to be a jerk, but the OP did specify “actual animals, not people in animal suits.” ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/24 "2025-08-23T20:25:47Z")
Yeah, I misread it. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/25 "2025-08-23T20:35:18Z")
The only other one besides Ralphie I could find is War Eagle from Auburn University although they say it (an eagle) is not actually a mascot. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/26 "2025-08-23T20:40:57Z")
A friend and I were talking about narwhals recently, and I remarked that if there isn’t a baseball team called the Narwhals, there should be. What a perfect mascot - it has a built in bat! Difficult to keep one around for home games, though. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/27 "2025-08-23T20:42:58Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > The only other one besides Ralphie I could find is War Eagle from Auburn University although they say it (an eagle) is not actually a mascot. Yeah, Auburn’s actual mascot is a Tiger (and it’s usually a student in a mascot costume). “War Eagle” is a slogan/chant which the fans and the teams use, and while they have an eagle at the games, due to this, it’s not actually their mascot. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/28 "2025-08-23T21:05:18Z")
The Fordyce Redbugs. Fordyce, Arkansas(boyhood home of Bear Bryant) I dare say there are quite a few Redbugs in the area. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/29 "2025-08-23T21:07:42Z")
Are red bugs chiggers? Noooo thanks! Can’t imagine anyone using them as a mascot. Would be akin to having lice as a mascot. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/30 "2025-08-23T21:09:12Z")
Yes, same. It’s a matter of age I think. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/31 "2025-08-23T21:24:53Z")
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point has the [Mule Corps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Mules). Currently, there are three: Ranger III, Stryker, and Paladin. The U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis has a goat, nearly always named [Bill.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_the_Goat) The U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs has a falcon, The current one is named [Nova](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Falcons). The U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London used to keep a [bear](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coast_Guard_Bears), but discontinued the practice in the 1980s. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/32 "2025-08-23T21:27:06Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I dare say there are quite a few Redbugs in the area. Probably plenty of banana slugs around Santa Cruz, too. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/33 "2025-08-23T21:28:29Z")
When the Miami Dolphins first started playing in the NFL, in 1966, they had an actual dolphin, named [Flipper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flipper_(mascot)) (of course), which was present in a large tank of water in the Orange Bowl during games, and her trainers had her jump in the air each time the Dolphins scored a touchdown. They discontinued using Flipper after the 1968 season, due to cost. [![](https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/488647201_10067634006604017_8591132654800037094_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p843x403_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=GD5Oech6KGwQ7kNvwEnb5jl&_nc_oc=Adkx9BchCX0n0zD3r-G4RDEihYnOx2Cy1n1UOPJAoDbNmanq3FES8QMENrzKJtdsoks8BstOZTeBjMKZTcireVHs&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&_nc_gid=kIn-EYpKyplNOlMan1dSbA&oh=00_AfXx5oKeezacNx9OJ71k6HJNHyzbnorQOK_zspTEm1o1mA&oe=68AFF8FF) ](https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/488647201_10067634006604017_8591132654800037094_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p843x403_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=GD5Oech6KGwQ7kNvwEnb5jl&_nc_oc=Adkx9BchCX0n0zD3r-G4RDEihYnOx2Cy1n1UOPJAoDbNmanq3FES8QMENrzKJtdsoks8BstOZTeBjMKZTcireVHs&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&_nc_gid=kIn-EYpKyplNOlMan1dSbA&oh=00_AfXx5oKeezacNx9OJ71k6HJNHyzbnorQOK_zspTEm1o1mA&oe=68AFF8FF) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/34 "2025-08-23T21:34:28Z")
Mentioned by @John_DiFool in post 20, but he didn’t include a picture, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/35 "2025-08-23T21:36:10Z")
_facepalm_ And here I thought I’d read the entire thread. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/36 "2025-08-23T21:45:26Z")
[Dubs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubs_(mascot)) the Washington State Huskies mascot. Current mascot is Dubs II, but there have been many different names since 1922. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/37 "2025-08-23T21:48:21Z")
A tiny school nearish to me Gurdon, Arkansas(home of the famous Gurdon light) is the Go-Devils. I definitely don’t wanna see their mascot. Ever 😈 The village nearest me had Roadrunners as a mascot. They never kept one as a live mascot. That I knew of. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/38 "2025-08-23T21:49:50Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > A tiny school nearish to me Gurdon, Arkansas(home of the famous Gurdon light) is the Go-Devils. Do they have an actual live go-devil mascot? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/39 "2025-08-23T21:56:54Z")
It is an extremely woo-ish place. They might actually have one hidden in a dungeon somewhere. The Gurdon light is uber spooky. It’s a favorite teen destination. I’ve just now, after all these years realized they probably named their highscool mascot Go-Devils because of the “light”. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414/40 "2025-08-23T22:31:33Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > [Dubs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubs_(mascot)) the Washington State Huskies mascot. Current mascot is Dubs II, but there have been many different names since 1922. Similarly, the University of Connecticut has [Jonathan the Husky](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_the_Husky) as its mascot. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/2025-03-08_JXVMoheganSun.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/2025-03-08_JXVMoheganSun.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-sports-teams-have-living-real-animals-as-team-pets-or-mascots-or-ambassadors-or-what-have-you/1022414.md?page=3)