Watch: Newest Member of NC Tar Heels Team Is a Service Dog Named Remington
Ever watch a baseball game and think to yourself, “This sure is great, but it would be amazing if there was a dog on the field!”? Well, if you’re a University of North Carolina Tar Heels fan, baseball just got that much more amazing.
UNC-Chapel Hill recently put out a YouTube video featuring the team’s new secret weapon: a psychiatric, medical alert, facility, rehabilitation service dog named Remington. Physical therapy coordinator Terri Jo Rucinski was paired with Remington last August through the nonprofit organization paws4people, and the golden retriever has been making an impact in the lives of Tar Heels team members ever since.
As the first service dog in the Atlantic Coast Conference and probably the country, Remington takes his responsibilities very seriously. Watch him bring balls to the umpire, hold his cap for the national anthem, and even “throw” the first pitch in a Tar Heels game in the video.
The team seems to love Remington as a new addition—and for good reason. He’s already helped injured players complete their rehabilitation routines, and he’s also allowed anxious players a chance to de-stress and decompress during exams, which have been linked with higher than average scores for the players.
The Tar Heels are currently ranked number two in the country, so something seems to be working. Keep your eyes peeled for more teams with service dogs hoping to replicate the Tar Heels’ success in the not-so-distant future.
