Loyola mascot featured on cover of national magazine

Celebrating Greyhounds Magazine, a quarterly publication distributed among committed greyhound adopters, owners and friends, featured Father Francis Nash and Nicholas III on the front cover of the Fall 2008 issue.

"Evidentially, Greyhound Pets of America, the agency that we used to get Nicolas, contacted somebody who writes for this magazine," said Nash. The writer, based in Chicago, called Nash in the spring for an hour-long interview in which Nash shared the role the live mascot plays on Loyola's campus.

CG Magazine works beside The Greyhound Project, Inc. to spread awareness and information about greyhounds to owners and friends.

The mission statement lists their goal as "to promote adoption of retired racing greyhounds by providing support and information to adoption organizations and adopters."

The publication, which started as a newsletter for greyhound adopting agencies, evolved into the current publication, with over 6,000 subscribers from countries like the United States, England, France, Germany, Australia and Hong Kong.

The effort to find safe homes for greyhounds after they finish their racing careers is continuing to grow. Since the establishment of Greyhound Pets of America in 1987, the non profit organization expanded over the country. With 54 chapters, GPA has assisted in adopting 65,000 greyhounds, 3,500 in 2007 alone.

"When greyhounds finish racing, they kill them," said Nash, who followed through with the idea of adopting after a student's suggestion at a soccer game 20 years ago. "I think many people who read this are already greyhound fanatics and will just be pleased. But I think the people who are not and see the article, it will help them understand that greyhounds are really wonderful dogs to adopt as pets."

Nicholas III, also known as Stainless Steel, came to Loyola less then a year ago, after the passing of Nicholas II at in the fall of 2007. Nash has handled all the dogs who have graced the campus.

When the idea to adopt a live mascot came up, Nash served as the Director of Campus Ministry. He admitted that it was his intention to take care of the dog if the school approved of the idea.

"I thought it would be wonderful to have the dog in campus ministry because people could come in and pet the dog and not have to talk about God necessarily."

Nicholas III continues to add a personal touch to the Loyola community, as he can regularly be seen at sporting events, school- sponsored social gatherings or sauntering through the Andrew White Student Center in the middle of the day.

The greyhound not only serves as a friend to the Loyola Community, but he attracts fame and attention from prospective students and parents visiting the Evergreen campus.

"Today, I was watching and a woman was on the phone. She must have been visiting campus with her son. She said, 'Is that the mascot?' I told her yes, and she came over. She said to the person on the phone, 'You'll have to wait I'm petting the school mascot right now.' She was so excited that they were seeing it," said Nash.

Although a task, integrating the greyhound into campus life was not impossible.

Nicholas spent his early life in a crate, so adjusting to other surroundings required time and patience from Nash as the dog familiarized himself with the Loyola environment and developed a routine.

"I had to teach the greyhound how to climb stairs. That meant me kneeling down and taking one step at a time moving his paws," recalled Nash.

It did not take very long for Nicholas to accept Loyola as his new home, and the students, administrators and faculty as his family, as he gathers the attention of anyone passing by.

Those lucky enough to walk Nicholas also enjoy the attention from his fans.

"People will come up and pet the dog, and say 'Oh, Nicholas how are you? Oh, Father Nash how are you? I didn't see you there,'" joked Nash, who accepted that Nicholas is the more popular of the two. "I play second fiddle to a dog, and it's worth every bit of it."