As presidential pets go, Champ may have some big paws to fill. His predecessor, Cricket (Underwood), was a true campus celebrity. Still, Champ appears more than ready to chase down the legacy.
According to Mercer University President Dr. Penny L. Elkins, Champ is about 5 years old and a mixed-breed mutt. But it’s not his pedigree, or lack thereof, that makes him special. It’s the un-bear-ably sweet, straight-out-of-a-holiday-movie story of how he trotted into the Elkins family and curled up in the heart of the Mercer community.
“Champ was shivering in the bushes at the President’s House in Christmas of 2020,” recalls Dr. Elkins. “We were very much dog people, but at the time we did not have a dog. President Underwood texted me and said, ‘Come get your dog.’ I texted him and said, ‘I don’t have a dog.’ And he said, ‘Oh yes, you do.’”
And just like that, Champ was home.
“He’s a rescue on this campus, and he certainly rescued our hearts,” said Dr. Elkins. “And Cricket, the Underwoods’ dog, actually found Champ, and so they are big friends and they’re fun friends. Champ is an amazing boy, and I love the fact that we found him on campus and that he will be a part of this campus. He loves exploring the Macon campus.”
Digital Content Specialist Andrea Honaker contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of The Mercerian. Read the full magazine.
