Good dog

Christopher Getman ’64.

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Yale lost a friend and ambassador on August 12 when Handsome Dan XVII—known to friends and family as Sherman—died from an apparent heart attack. He was nine years old. A native of Johnson City, Tennessee, he came to New Haven as a six-month-old puppy to assume his title. He went on to make hundreds of appearances at athletic events, college teas, fund-raising galas, graduations, and of course, Bulldog Days. “He was a dog of the people, willing to be photographed and patted by innumerable fans,” says Christopher Getman ’64, who was caretaker and companion to Sherman and three previous Dans. The athletics department announced this fall that it is contacting breeders to “find a dog with the strength and stamina to perform the demanding role” of Handsome Dan XVIII.