The graduates at this year’s Eckerd College graduation were a little more unique than your average studentâmostly because they all had four legs.
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The Eckerd College graduation ceremony in St. Petersburg, Florida, has been hosting pet graduations for seven years in a row. About 30 pets received certificates, including dogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, bearded dragons, a guinea pig, a tortoise, and a hedgehog.
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“He’s been my dog for seven years; he’s been at college here with me for three years,” Hunter Blencowe said of her service dog, Gibbs. “I’m on the search and rescue team, at least a third, probably half the team was here tonight, and I definitely cried when they all stood up and screamed for Gibbs.”
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15.6 percent of Eckerd College’s 2,000 students live on campus with their pets. The college had 304 registered pets with its student-run Pet Life Council for the past school year.