Florida football: Yes, I’m actually coming to Uga’s defense

When I was browsing the Twitterverse for anything on Florida football, I was a little flabbergasted by what I actually found.

In addition to being a Florida football fan, I am an animal lover, through and through.

My family rescued two small dogs from a shelter just a day or two before they were to be euthanized.

In my previous life — before Hail Florida Hail — I even did/oversaw journalistic pieces on animal cruelty, puppy mills and the people behind them.

So, it was a little surprising when I was exploring Twitter this morning — as I do every day — for any new nuggets of Florida football news to see that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) took to Twitter to blast off on an old Florida football rival … Uga.

Yup, the English bulldog that is the mascot of the University of Georgia.

I know it’s rivalry week, but I had to stop what I was doing and say something.

In their tweet, which uses a video from CBS Sports, the organization says the dog “looks miserable” and that “no dog deserves to be packed up, carted from state to state and paraded in front of a stadium full of screaming fans.”

Mind you, in the video, it is pouring down rain and the dog is covered in a dog house.

Now, I support PETA and what they stand for, to be sure. But, this is a little stretch, even for them.

It should be mentioned that the Florida football foe is pampered more than I am. Uga certainly has more Nike apparel than I do:

While an enemy, this dog is a beloved part of college football, especially in Athens where seeing Uga is a treat some people wait years for.

I just fail to see the cruelty being expressed here.

Uga gets more love and attention and doesn’t show any signs of being miserable.

PETA suggests Uga needs to be retired and “be at home with a loving family.”

Here’s news for you — he already is. That loving family is the University of Georgia and, for Uga, there isn’t a more loving family.

And, believe me, it’s hard to say as a Florida football fan, but perhaps PETA should focus on hammering those who run puppy mills and dog fights and not on dogs who have the love of an entire fan base.

But, that’s just me.