There will be a Uga VIII, but not until 2010

By Chip Towers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

UGA fans have stepped forward with offers to replace the school's beloved mascot for Saturday night's game in the wake of Uga VII's death.

But not just any dog can replace Uga. Thus for the first time in over a half century, there will be no live bulldog on the sidelines when Georgia plays a  game at Sanford Stadium.

Swann Seiler, whose family has owned the school's mascot since 1956, said the family has been inundated Friday with email and phone calls from people offering the services of their white English bulldogs to serve as an interim. But, like all of the previous mascots, even the interim dogs are required to be of the Uga lineage.

Due to an editing mistake, a story temporarily appeared on ajc.com that erroneously said the Seilers were unsure if there would be a Uga VIII. The family on Friday again emphasized their plans to continue the lineage.

The Seilers  said an interim dog should be in place in time for the Nov. 28 game against Georgia Tech in Atlanta and for the bowl game. That dog, like all the mascots, is to be of the Uga lineage.

While nothing has been finalized, the Seilers are not expected to select the heir that will be Uga VIII until sometime after the first of the year, UGA spokesman Claude Felton said.

On a handful of occasions there have been substitute bulldogs for  Uga. But since Uga I debuted on Sept. 29, 1956, a live mascot has roamed the Sanford sidelines on game days.

It's almost as rare for UGA to play a road game without a dog. The last time occurred in 2000, when the team played a bowl game in Hawaii and Uga VI didn’t make the trip because of quarantine laws.