By Christina Walker

Teddy the Terp, the University of Maryland’s comfort dog, led a line of pups on McKeldin Mall Wednesday to celebrate the 100th anniversary of this university’s homecoming. 

Teddy’s Pup Parade, hosted by the university’s police department, featured more than 15 dogs and drew a large crowd of university students. The dogs and their families marched a zigzag pattern, with Teddy, a 2-year-old chocolate labrador, serving as the ‘Grand Marshall.’ 

Wednesday was the first time University of Maryland Police hosted this event. Lt. Rosanne Hoaas, the university police department’s public information officer, played a large role in coordinating the event. Hoaas was ecstatic to see the size of the crowd that came to support Teddy and the other dogs, she said. 

“[The crowd] means the world because that tells me this event matters to our community and that we need more events like it,” Hoaas said. 

The university has had Teddy since he was a puppy. He became the university’s first comfort dog in spring 2021. Hoaas said he’s always booked. 

“He’s the busiest person in our department,” Hoaas said. 

Amanda Gall, a freshman biochemistry major, said she learned about the event earlier in the day and knew she had to come. She loved seeing the dogs and said its location made it accessible for students walking in between classes. 

Many students lined up the pathways cheering and aweing as the dogs walked by. The sizes and breeds varied from a large german shepherd to a tiny pug. Two of the dogs even came in costume — one as a bat and the other as candy corn. 

A few of the dogs, such as Ozzy the Golden Retriever, got so much attention from surrounding students that they never made it up the path. Ozzy stood on his hind legs and jumped when students applauded him.

Luis Ordonez, a senior information science major, brought his dog Khaleesi so she could join the homecoming festivities and meet other dogs. He said Khaleesi recently went through surgery and has not been around other dogs in quite some time.

“Now that she’s all healed and better, she’s ready to socialize with other dogs,” Ordonez said. “I hope she has fun.” 

Hoaas said she got this idea a few years ago from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s pup parade that featured their school’s comfort dog, Chip. 

“We always want to create events for our community that involve Teddy,” Hoaas said. “To have the community bring their pups and be a part of it is really fantastic.”

Raven Herron, sophomore animal science major, is an active member of Terps Raising Pups, a chapter of the Guide Dog Foundation for the blind at the university. Herron and many other students volunteer to train service dogs on campus before they are given to people with disabilities who need them. 

Herron said her black labrador, Vista, is on a post-traumatic stress disorder track and will most likely go to a veteran. This program is one of the big reasons Herron chose this university. 

“It’s great that an organization allows for students to be able to give back to their community, in addition to learning the basics of animal behavior, training and handling,” Herron said.

Featured Image: A dog walks in the Pup Parade Oct. 11, 2023. Photo by Liya Osiyemi.