EVERYONE KNOWS that a dog is man’s best friend, but this particular pup was thousands of students’ best friend, too.
The students and staff of the University of Limerick are heartbroken with the news that the campus’ unofficial mascot, Sheeba, has passed away.
The old black Labrador cross has been a staple of UL life for a number of years, known for waiting patiently outside the campus shop for a few sneaky sausage rolls gifted by the students, and providing stress relief outside the library doors for tired academics on a major study session.
Sheeba was the much-loved pet of a local Limerick family but visited the grounds of the University so regularly she was widely referred to as ‘UL’s Black Dog’.
The college learned of her passing on Monday 27 August, when people around the world were celebrating International Dog Day, and broke the news to students past and present on their Twitter page.
“Yesterday on #InternationalDogDay we learned the sad news that regular visitor to the campus ‘Sheeba’, who was often referred to as UL’s Black Dog, passed away recently.”
The page went on to say “If I had the power to grant posthumous Honorary Doctorates to dogs I would give Sheeba one.”
Yesterday on #InternationalDogDay we learned the sad news that regular visitor to the campus 'Sheeba', who was often referred to as UL's Black Dog, passed away recently.
If I had the power to grant posthumous Honorary Doctorates to dogs I would give Sheeba one. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/1PllrFMfzf— University Of Limerick (@UL) August 27, 2019
The popular pet even had her own Twitter page which introduced her as "I'm the UL Black Dog, and I will follow anyone for a bit of chicken roll!"
A #throwbacktuesday for ya on #internationaltalklikeapirateday arrrrgggghhhh matey pic.twitter.com/pCkRMkCrRW
— ULBlackDog (@BlackDogUL) September 19, 2017
Now tributes are flooding in for the animal who touched the lives of thousands of students—with one person saying the demand for sausage rolls in the campus shop would fall dramatically.
@UL I propose some form of remembrance, possibly a plaque. Anyone who visited the UL will have known Sheeba, and probably given him head pats. Lovely big old woofer of a dog.
— Conor (@_Brycicles) August 27, 2019
Hung out with Black Dog for a whole lunchtime once. It was a good day. <3 https://t.co/Gpz4gYbjI3 pic.twitter.com/v7Mp8vNwRL
— πchael Boyle (@murpleburple) August 27, 2019
The passing of any pet is always devastating for the family who loved them, and Sheeba had the biggest family of all.
We’re sure graduates and visitors to UL will be remembering Sheeba for a long time to come.
