When Buster arrived at Loyola Marymount University in 2018, he was 16 pounds and 16 weeks old. With training and patience, Buster grew into his role as LMU’s campus dog, becoming a playful companion and source of well-being for students and staff across campus.
Buster, a golden retriever-poodle mix who was a welcoming presence on campus for eight years, succumbed to an aggressive lymphoma on Aug. 3, 2026. He leaves his lifelong caretaker, Eddie Siebert, S.J., the staff at Student Psychological Services, where Buster spent much of his office hours, and hundreds of students who spent meaningful moments with him and appreciated him.
“I had the privilege of taking care of him,” Father Siebert said. “I’m grateful for the eight years Buster was on campus and all the connections he made with the students who walked him, and rubbed his belly, and found comfort in his companionship.”
According to Father Siebert, the inspiration behind bringing a therapy dog to LMU came from a conversation with the then-director of Student Psychological Services, Dr. Kristen Linden. “They’ve been wanting to do this for years,” said Father Siebert. “It wasn’t until I moved here and we talked about how another Jesuit at Loyola Chicago was doing this, and they asked if I would be interested.”
The Los Angeles Loyolan reported that LMU is not the only university where dogs have been welcomed to campus as more than just mascots. In addition to Loyola Chicago, according to HuffPost, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, and Georgetown University have welcomed emotional support dogs on campus to help students alleviate the stress of college life.
“A Day in the Life of Buster,” a video produced by the Los Angeles Loyolan, displays the affection that Buster brought to campus and the attention he received from students.
The campus community has watched Buster grow and helped nurse him through injuries.
LMU’s mission of cura personalis was Buster’s specialty: he greeted every student with the same interest and enthusiasm. One prospective student, unsure which university she would attend, said that she chose LMU after meeting Buster on a campus visit.