St. John's College Mourns Passing Of 'Cadie,' School's Official Dog
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The St. John's College community is mourning the loss of Arcadia, the school's official dog and a fixture on campus for 16 years.
President Nora Demleitner announced the passing of the Parson Russell Terrier fondly known as "Cadie" in a message Tuesday afternoon to students and faculty, saying she passed away June 3 at the age of about 17.
"It is with deep sadness that I write today to share the passing of Arcadia Marie Spector, the official dog of St. John's College, Annapolis," President Demleitner wrote, noting that Cadie was surrounded by loved ones when she died.
St. John's College adopted Cadie from a shelter at the request of board member and alumnus Warren Spector, who wanted to have a dog on campus, the president said. After receiving specialized training, Cadie arrived in 2006.
At first, Demleitner said, the plan was for Cadie to sleep in a kennel near Gilliam Hall, but since nobody could stomach the thought of her being alone, "she spent all of her nights living with staff on-campus; often snuggling up with people under the covers."
Described as "snuggly and loving to those who she knew best," Cadie was known to hop into students' laps and comfort them, wander the school's gym and patrol the sidelines during intramural athletic events.
"A lover of the finer things in life, Arcadia could often be found eating gourmet cheeses, peanut butter, bacon, and perhaps her favorite, turkey burgers that Ms. Heather Latham would make just for her," Demleitner wrote.
A ceremony to remember Arcadia is being planned for this fall.