Labrador science: David Batuski

Man's best friend meets Man's Final Frontier

By Angela Larson

Posted on Sept. 15, 2008, at 12:00 a.m.

Professor David Batuski is not the most recognizable man on campus. Despite spending years as a physics professor and a department chairperson at the University of Maine, he may be better known for his dog, Jenny.

“People don’t necessarily know me. They don’t notice when I’m out there, but they do say, ‘Oh, you’re the one with the black lab,’” Batuski said.

Jenny, the black lab in question, has become a relatively well-known figure at UMaine. Since adopting her from the humane society nearly seven years ago, Batuski has brought Jenny to campus with him almost every day. She spends the majority of her time in his office or leashed outside but has also been known to greet students in the hallways and make appearances while he sets up for his introductory astronomy classes.

Being on a busy campus could be troublesome for a lessser trained dog, but Jenny is exceptionally well behaved. Batuski is able to walk her to campus and back to his Orono home mostly unleashed. Sure, she’ll scamper ahead, chasing after squirrels (her favorite pastime), but she knows not to cross any streets until she is told, “Go.”

In fact, there have only been a few moments throughout the years where Batuski has had to worry about her. He once left Jenny outside while he made a brief trip to his office after she refused to come in with him. He returned moments later to find her missing. Luckily, she had not wandered off but had been picked up by a concerned passerby who turned her over to the police. Batuski went to public safety and, as he put it, “bail her out of jail.”

Jenny has also, on several occasions, been known to go missing inside buildings, but she is always found quickly, usually on a different floor after stowing away on an elevator with strangers.

Thanks to Jenny and the other dogs that regularly visit, the university enjoys a reputation as a dog-friendly campus. While Jenny remains forbidden from a few buildings, she is generally a welcome sight

And really, could there be a more perfect place for a dog whose main interest is chasing squirrels?

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