On March 8, 2022, Jonathan appeared virtually to the General Administrations and Elections Committee for the state of Connecticut. Even though the testimony was read over a Zoom call because of COVID-19, his statement was doggedly sincere.
As witnesses go, Jonathan was a real dog.
Really.
Jonathan XV, the University of Connecticut’s Siberian Husky mascot, appeared with one of his handlers, Laura Centanni, then a student at the University of Connecticut, and co-chair of Alpha Phi Omega’s Husky Committee responsible for caring for UConn’s mascot. The pair provided the emotional and symbolic center of the campaign to make the Siberian Husky Connecticut’s official state breed, but several organizations, including the Connecticut Valley Siberian Husky Club and the Connecticut Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners, publicly backed the bill and worked to educate legislators about the breed and responsible ownership. Media coverage and supporters emphasized that formal recognition would simply reflect the Siberian Husky’s existing role in Connecticut culture. More on that in a moment.
In his testimony, Jonathan “said:” It would be a great honor to me and my Siberian Husky brethren to be designated as our great state’s official dog, Fourteen Huskies like me presided over the exciting history of the University of Connecticut, and while it’s a great responsibility, I am excited to be the next iteration of a symbol that unites our state and energizes Nutmeggers* nationwide.”
The push to make it official, however, had been years in the works. Lawmakers first introduced bills to designate the Siberian Husky as the state dog several years before. Senate Bill 75, for example, was introduced in 2021. Finally in 2024, House Bill 5304, “An Act Designating the State Dog,” explicitly proposed naming the Siberian Husky as Connecticut’s state dog. The bill moved through committee, was approved by the General Assembly, and was signed by Governor Ned Lamont on June 5, 2024, becoming Public Act 24-121 with an effective date of October 1, 2024.
Why a Sibe?
In 1934, UConn, then known as Connecticut State College, ran a poll in the student newspaper asking students to choose a new mascot and nickname, and “Huskies” won. A Siberian Husky puppy arrived on campus in late 1934 as the first mascot and named “Jonathan” in honor of the last colonial governor and first state governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull. Over time, people leaned into the obvious rhyme between “UConn” and “Yukon,” the northern region associated with sled dogs. This only reaffirmed the choice made by students who felt that a breed known for toughness, resilience, and teamwork were all worthy attributes for an athletic team.
As for Jonathan XV, the 10-month-old officially took over as UConn’s mascot in February, 2024 during in a “Changing of the Collar” ceremony that took place on Gampel Pavilion court during half time of a men’s basketball game. It also officially retired eleven year old Jonathan XIV to a relaxed “emeritus” status. The elder Jonathan still take walks with his replacement and enjoys the accompany of UConn Police K9 Officer, Tildy (rumored to be his best gal pal).
To our knowledge, the current list of official state dogs that are purebred breed looks like this:
There is a ‘surprise breed’ on the list that we will be discussing in the future…but we close with a question that might have occurred to you by now: *What’s a “nutmegger?”
Connecticut-based merchants took part in the Atlantic and Caribbean spice trade after the late 1700s which brought genuine nutmeg into the state, but according to legend, some locals were so shrewd that they made – and sold – wooden nutmegs to naive buyers who didn’t realize that whole nutmeg must be grated and thought they were buying the real thing. The story gave rise to the term, “nutmegger,” which remains popular today.
Photo of a Siberian Husky by freepic.diller