Students at Cambridge are not allowed to have dogs on campus, but Lord Byron famously kept a pet bear during his time at the university. The eccentric poet and nobleman adopted a young bear cub while studying at Trinity College in the early 19th century. The bear, named Bruin, was a constant companion to Byron and often accompanied him to class and social events.

Lord Byron's decision to keep a bear instead of a more conventional pet like a dog or cat was just one example of his unconventional and rebellious nature. He was known for his wild behavior, scandalous love affairs, and flamboyant style. Keeping a bear as a pet was just another way for Byron to stand out from the crowd and shock his peers.

Despite the strict rules against pets on campus, Lord Byron was able to keep his bear without facing any repercussions. His status as a wealthy and influential aristocrat likely helped him get away with breaking the rules. In fact, Byron's bear became something of a celebrity at Cambridge, with students and professors alike fascinated by the unusual pet.

While most students at Cambridge are content to stick to more traditional pets like goldfish or hamsters, Lord Byron's choice to keep a bear serves as a reminder of the university's long history of attracting eccentric and unconventional personalities. Byron's time at Cambridge was marked by a series of scandals and controversies, but his decision to keep a bear was perhaps one of the most memorable moments of his time at the university.

Today, Lord Byron's pet bear is remembered as one of the quirkiest stories in Cambridge's history. While students are still not allowed to have dogs on campus, the legend of Byron and his bear lives on as a testament to the university's rich and colorful past.

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