Captains Have a Soft Spot for Dogs

by Brooklyn Carroll

It was not until I came to Christopher Newport that I was exposed to a community that is so passionate about dogs. Sure, in my neighborhood back at home, there were plenty of pups around, but no one in my neighborhood has ever acted as nutty as Captains do when a dog is nearby. Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining about our enthusiasm for dogs, in fact, I love it! I am sure that any fellow Captains will agree that seeing a dog running around the Great Lawn with its ears flapping in the wind brings a smile to your face. For that, I am thankful.

Just today, the co-ed business and professional fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, hosted the fundraising event: Paws and Relax. As a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, this is one of my favorite charitable events. It is both funny and amazing to see how excited students became as they neared the dogs brought from the local SPCA. Despite the chilly weather and the $1 donation to the SPCA, students could not have been happier to pet the adorable dogs!

With just one wag of its tail or a roll on its back, a dog will have a swarm of students admiring it within minutes. And when there is a dog on campus, word spreads quickly, especially through the power of social media. Maybe it is because we miss our pets from home or because we cannot resist their irresistible cuteness, but it seems like we, as Captains, are attracted to dogs like a magnet. I know that I certainly have a soft spot for dogs. When the dogs are out at Christopher Newport, so are the smiles.