Anyone who frequents the Newhouse School can quickly see that Newhouse is a dog-friendly zone. Students, faculty and staff will often bring their dogs along for their daily routine. Two of these dogs are Tex and Pepper.
Texas P. Toast, better known as “Tex,” is lovingly cared for by Olivia Stomski, a professor of practice and the director of the Newhouse Sports Media Center.
Tex was rescued early last year after being abandoned in a parking lot in Texas. He and one of his brothers survived but Tex had broken one of his back legs.
Both dogs were taken into a foster home, and the search began to find them forever homes.Tex and his brother were scheduled to be moved to Central New York thanks to a program that moves dogs from states with high kill rates in animal shelters to states with lower kill rates. Because of this transfer system, Tex was considered a “local” New York dog and caught the eye of Stomski.
Once Tex was taken to his new home, he took no time to settle in and did almost nothing but sleep for two days. He loved stretching out on the couch and enjoying comforts he’d never had before.
Stomski officially adopted Tex in September 2024, and he is now 10 months old. He’s still growing and a bit shy. He does like people, but it is on his terms how he will interact with you. He spends a couple of days a week at his doggy daycare and the rest at Newhouse.
Most of the time when Tex is on campus you can find him curled up in Stomski’s office in the Sports Media Center headquarters. He has not decided if he likes the snow yet, so a warm bed indoors is his choice for now.
Pepper Potts, mostly known as Pepper, is the dog of James Baehr, a graduate student in the television, radio and film program. Baehr got her in the summer of 2024 just before his program here at Newhouse started. She’s the first dog he has had and, except for a bit of playful destruction, she has been a great first dog.
Pepper loves people, which is why she frequents the Newhouse complex often. She is friendly and curious, so she isn’t afraid to approach anyone. Baehr says that one of the reasons she is so well liked is that she’s not a very intimidating dog, so people are comfortable around her right away.
Pepper is now 5 months old, so we’ll see how much she still has to grow. That friendly nature is unlikely to change either way. Pepper recently experienced her first snow which she seemed to enjoy.
Like many of us, Tex and Pepper have found a home and family in Newhouse, and they are one of the great things about it. Make sure to say hello to all the furry friends around campus.
Babe Nash is a graduate student in the broadcast and digital journalism program in the Newhouse School.