Philadelphia Phillies’ New Service Dog is Instant Celebrity – And Will Support a Veteran After Training Camp

Philadelphia Phillies’ New Service Dog is Instant Celebrity – And Will Support a Veteran After Training Camp

The Philadelphia Phillies just expanded their roster—adding a four-legged friend that’s arguably the cutest teammate in franchise history.

Last week, the baseball franchise formally announced their sponsorship of Tugger, a 10-week old pup that will soon begin his training to become an accredited service dog destined to support a disabled veteran.

The yellow Labrador’s name is a nod to Phillies legend and fan favorite Tug McGraw, who served in the Marine Corps before becoming a major-league relief pitcher and a 1980 World Series Champion with the Phillies.

He was also the father of country music superstar Tim McGraw, who cheered Tugger’s entrance to the majors in a team press release, saying, “Ya gotta believe young Tugger’s going to be a hero.”

“My father loved the Phillies and took immense pride in his service with the U.S. Marine Corps. The thought that this little pup will one day contribute to enhancing the quality of life for a veteran is truly remarkable. I am certain my father would have felt deeply honored to have Tugger named in his memory.”

Watch the 4-legged Instagram sensation below…

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Two nonprofit organizations will help prepare the retriever over the next two years. The Warrior Canine Connection, will train the service dog and Team Foster, a Philadelphia-based charity that has helped connect over 500 veterans with service dogs, will find Tugger’s next owner.

Tugger is the second service pup sponsored by the Phillies. The first one, Major, was just recently placed in a fur-ever home, bringing some much-needed assistance to a local veteran.

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Earlier this week, the pup was introduced to hometown fans at Philadelphia’s ballpark. Not surprisingly, he quickly won over the entire crowd, even while sleeping for an inning in a player’s arms.

Eventually, Tugger’s training will ‘round third’ and be headed toward home with a veteran in need—a guaranteed home run by the Phillies, delivered by the newest—and cutest— member of the team… (See more Good News Sports stories here.)