USA Hockey Sochi Team Adopts Furry Mascots

Since the beginning of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games, a number of participating athletes from around the world have been flooding the web with selfies, posing with stray dogs that they have adopted from Russia.  Apparently, the streets of Sochi are full of abandoned canines who seem to have hit the jackpot with the outpouring of love and sympathy that athletes have showered on them over the past few weeks.

The US Men’s Ice Hockey Team is determined to be part of the mission to save Sochi’s dogs and revealed yesterday that two dogs had been adopted as mascots.  Goaltender, Ryan Miller tweeted a photo of a mutt sleeping outside Team USA’s room, with the caption: “Family hotel mascot! Couple stray dogs have been cleaned up and adopted by players.”

Another picture shows another two players holding dogs, named – according to the caption – Sochi Jack and Sochi Junior.

Team USA winger, David Bates said about the team’s intention to adopt the dogs: “They kind of were portrayed a little bit as rabid animals that were dangerous. I don’t know if anyone’s seen that out of those animals. I think you’ve seen a lot of friendly, smart street dogs that have perhaps have had a tough life and had to find ways to get food and shelter and water and all that good stuff.”

Men’s ski slopestyle silver medalist, Gus Kensworthy has been tweeting about his plans to bring home a mother dog and her brood of four pups which were found snuggling under a media tent outside the athlete’s village.  Kensworthy apparently spent two days running around Sochi buying kennels and leashes for the dogs, as well as securing the necessary paperwork required to bring them home to the US.