After six years in the Minor Leagues, Layla the bat dog will retire from her spotlight position on the Clearwater Threshers.
Layla, the white labrador retriever, is 13 years old and has lived alongside her owner Andrew Davis her whole life.
But Layla didn’t always have her paws in baseball.
When Davis was a student at Webber International University, the canine spent most of her time in the bed of his pickup truck. But then, Layla was drafted by Webber’s athletic program and started training alongside the school’s athletes.
When Davis finished college, he made sure Layla was always with him. She was truly the man’s best friend. They never left each other’s side, even Davis’ job allowed him to bring the pup with him.
Before being discovered by the Minor League Baseball’s team the Clearwater Threshers, Layla had a hidden talent of her own that Davis taught her.
In a video that went viral on social media, Layla opens Davis’ fridge and fetches him a beer. The video is what got her drafted to the Threshers.
Dominic Repper is the Manager of Promotions and Game Entertainment for the Threshers. He’s the person responsible for letting Layla shine bright out on the field. Davis showed Repper Layla’s viral video, and Repper wanted to know if she could fetch baseball bats, as well as beers.
Repper said that other minor league teams also had bat dogs and he wanted to give Layla a chance.
“When we first contacted the Threshers, Layla didn’t even know what a baseball bat was,” Davis said.
So, he took Layla to local baseball fields and taught her how to pick up a bat and bring it to the dugout.
Once she learned the new trick, Repper signed her to the team.
Davis said the retriever is more than a bat dog to the team and fans though. During games, Layla would take photos with people, entertain the crowd, and bark for her teammates when they walked up to the mound.
“The laughs, and loves. Some people might see Layla and be inspired to get their own dog and that’s something special,” Davis said.
Repper and Davis said there were times when the audience would cheer more for Layla than the team.
“She gets the most attraction than any post we get on our social media channels, more than our players,” Repper said.
Even though Layla only goes to a game once a month, she’s made herself known.
Layla has brought more recognition to the team’s charity event, Beach Dog Days, where people can bring their dogs to the game on the last Friday of every month during the Thresher’s season.
The team even wears a different jersey and mascot on Beach Dog nights. Repper donates the proceeds from the dog tickets to a charity each time they hold the event.
The team will donate to Suncoast Animal League for Layla’s last game on Friday, July 19.
And the fans aren’t the only ones who appreciate the bat dog. The players have also created a bond with her.
“In between innings the players come up and scratch her and come up and tell me about the dogs they have back at home,” Davis said.
He said he could see in the players’ faces that she brings a bit of home back to them.
Davis said he gives Layla the credit for how well-trained she is and the bond she has formed with the team. That makes her retirement this week emotional for the staff, players, and crowd.
Repper said on July 3 at an Independence Day event, there were about 9,000 people in the stands. And when Layla walked out on the field, the crowd went wild.
Davis said that’s one of his favorite memories of Layla’s bat dog career.
“She ran out and that rapturous applause gives me chills thinking about it,” he said.
Repper said he wants to ensure that Davis and Layla know how much they mean to everyone. So this Friday’s Beach Dog Day is dedicated to her retirement.
“She will be presented with a cake and we are giving out some dog cookies to the dogs. There will be even pawtographs,” said Davis.
Davis said his and Layla’s time with the team has meant a lot to them both and he hopes that people never forget how good of a dog she was.
Even though Layla moves a little bit slower these days, he’ll keep bringing her to the games because the Threshers are like family.
“We are hoping to send Layla out on her last dog bat day with a bang,” Repper said.
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