Victor E. Bulldog History
The initial idea of having a live mascot dates back to 1921 when Fresno State College
students were greeted by a white bulldog on campus each lunch hour. Soon students
were bringing him to football games and the Fresno Morning Republican referred to
Fresno State as the Bulldogs. The nickname stuck, but there was no official mascot
until 1935. Tradition waned until the 1980s when the live bulldog mascot tradition
was revived by a football coach, the late Jim Sweeney, and his bulldog, Half-Time.
Victor E. Bulldog, Fresno State's four-legged mascot since 2006, passed away after succumbing to his battle with cancer on Aug. 10, 2012.
Victor E. Bulldog II was introduced at Bulldog Stadium on Sept. 15, 2012. Victor E.
Bulldog II regularly attended football games and made appearances during halftime,
spurring excitement from the Red Wave. He also made special appearances at various
on-campus and athletic events throughout the year. Victor E. Bulldog II passed away
on March 12, 2015.
In June 2015, Fresno State welcomed Victor E. Bulldog III, whose purchase was made possible by a generous donor. Victor E. Bulldog III is cared for and owned by the Fresno State Alumni Association (FSAA).
Care for Victor E. Bulldog
Victor E. Bulldog is owned by and under the care of the Fresno State Alumni Association (FSAA), for the benefit of Fresno State and the FSAA. The FSAA is responsible for funding the operations of the live mascot operation and associated programs. This includes, but is not limited to:
1) Brand development and management
2) Development and implementation of revenue-generating strategies
3) Strategic communications (website, social/new media, print, etc.)
4) Health and well-being (physical, social, emotional, grooming, etc.)
5) Insurance coverage (including medical, liability, life insurance, etc.)
6) Licensing and registration, as necessary
7) Housing (on-campus and off-campus)
8) Transportation
9) Training
10) Succession planning
11) Annual operating budget
12) Event management, including campus and community appearances