Bill XXXV, the Naval Academy’s goat mascot, has died at just 2 years old, the academy announced Thursday.
Bill died peacefully, euthanized at a veterinary facility run by the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary medicine.
The goat had been in poor health since arriving at the academy in 2015, the Capital Gazette reported, citing the animal’s caretaker. He apparently suffered from an idiopathic edema, caused by chronic kidney weakness.
Although some of Bill’s predecessors have been remembered with a formal funeral service, no such arrangements for Bill have yet been announced, the Capital Gazette reported.
“Bill 35 is survived by his brother, Bill 36 and recently retired Bill 33 and 34 (donated in 2007),” Navy Athletics said in a news release, requesting the public respect the privacy of owners of the mascot. “The remaining Bills and their caretakers are not available for comment or interviews during this time of mourning and sadness.”
Sports Illustrated named the Naval Academy’s mascot as number 18 in its list of the “NCAA’s Top Real Animal Mascots.”
• Ken Shepherd can be reached at kshepherd@washingtontimes.com.
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