Florida team's bat dog to keep her job, despite messy debut

Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A Minor League Baseball team in Florida introduced its new "bat dog" to the public, but the canine ended up being less interested in game than she was in doing her business.

Lucy May, a 10-month-old Labrador retriever, was introduced by Philadelphia Phillies single-A affiliate team the Clearwater Thrushers during their game against the Dunedin Blue Jays, but her debut had a few hiccups -- as well as other bodily functions.

Lucy, whose older sister, Layla, retired as the team's bat dog earlier this year, ran out of the Threshers' dugout during the third inning and, instead of retrieving a dropped bat, ran into the opposing team's dugout.

The dog then seemed to get a case of the zoomies and made her way to the infield, where she earned cheers from the crowd by pooping near the pitcher's mound.

"When she squatted, I definitely went into panic mode," owner Andrew Davis told WTVT-TV. "I think the word my fiancée and I used was 'mortified.'"

Dominic Repper, the team's promotions and game entertaining manager, rushed into action to clean up Lucy's mess.

"We kind of had a feeling that something special would happen with her and that it would be a fun event, but I don't think we could have imagined that it would get taken to that level," Repper said.

The canine's unusual debut went viral on social media, leading the team to respond: "Even though she doesn't have it quite right, she is 1000% KEEPING her job!"