When the University of Oregon hired David McCormick away from Yale last week, it not only got one of the nation’s leading neuroscientists, it also got one of its cutest pups.

McCormick, hired to direct the UO’s Institute of Neuroscience, is bringing with him to Eugene a Samoyed named Sasha.

The loss of Sasha was felt so acutely in New Haven that the Yale Daily News wrote about the dog’s pending departure under the headline, “Beloved Samoyed Sasha Pup to Leave Yale.”

“I am very sorry to learn the news that Sasha Pup will be leaving the university,” Yale President Peter Salovey told the paper.

In an email to the Yale community, college official Mary Lui said that Sasha will serve as “Director of Fluffiness” at Oregon.

McCormick told the paper that Sasha has helped him make innumerable friends at Yale.

“Animals help us be humans to each other; it makes the world a beautiful place,” McCormick said. “I’ve met so many wonderful people because of Sasha.”