Retired Therapy Dogs

Honoring therapy dogs who have retired or passed away

Elliot

Elliot passed away peacefully in June, 2019 at age 14. He was suffering from laryngeal paralysis and back legs weakness. He enjoyed the past few days taking short walks, lying in the sun, and nightly peanut butter filled Kongs. We served as a Pet Partners therapy dog team, visiting St. Charles Hospital Rehabilitation facility every week for 6 years until he retired in July, 2018. He was my partner on home visits and dog evaluations for Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon.

He was best friends with everyone and every animal he met. We so grateful for the opportunity to adopt him as an 8 month old puppy from Humane Society of Central Oregon and for the 13 1/2 years he lived with us. He leaves a huge hole in our hearts.

Jim Larsen

Cody

Thank you for seeing Cody and I in June 2017 for the pet therapy team test at Central Oregon Community College. We lost him this Thanksgiving weekend to a splenic tumor. He sure did love people and he loved being my partner. I was pretty lucky to have him for 13 years by my side. He had the most amazing personality, captured best in his photos. It made my day the day we passed that Pet Partners test, and I was over the moon he was rated “complex”.

Shealene Vogel

Sydney Ann

Sydney Ann was dearly loved by many children at Elk Meadow Elementary School where she served as a reading therapy partner for 10 years. Her picture is still on the wall at the school today. She also did some hospital therapy work in the state of Illinois in her middle years.  We miss her very much.

Date of Birth: 10/25/01, Date of Death: 7/7/14, Years of Service: Pet Partners, 9 years, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, 1 year 2 months

Pamela & Byron Cotton

Henry

Our Sweet Henry, who has been by my side as a registered therapy dog since 2005 with Delta Society (Complex), then registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Inc. (formerly Therapy Dogs, Inc.) 2006, officially retired from therapy dog visits in June 2016.  Henry was certified as a Crisis Response Dog in 2008 with Animal Assisted Crisis Response and also worked as a national Crisis Response Canine until 2014.

Now at 13 1/2, Henry still goes to my office with me and adds a smile to face of everyone he meets.  Henry was my neutral dog for many of the tests I have done since becoming a Tester/Observer in 2007.  He is the kindest, most gentle soul to ever walk the earth and has touched the lives of many.

Sue Dolezal

Tucker

Tucker was a Pet Partner from 2007-2015. Tucker passed in November 2015 at the too-early age of 11. He and I volunteered at St. Charles and did the Read to the Dogs summer program for several years. Tucker was one of those dogs who left a lasting impression — he was goofy and funny and loving; he made a friend of everyone he met. We miss him every day.

Joy McBride

Patches

“In honor of Patches, and her incredible contribution to Elk Meadow, our school has purchased 5 books and dedicated each one to Patches. These books will be in our library for all our kids to enjoy. Each book has a photo of Patches and a book plate honoring her time with us. And just so you know, all of the books are about dogs! We will forever remember Patches and the children that she helped.”

With love,
All those who love dogs at Elk Meadow School

“Patches was one of our early adoptions. She was adopted by a wonderful woman named Jennifer Horsman who drove over 11 hours to Covelo, CA from Oregon in 2001. Patches was Jennifer’s constant companion and soul mate. Patches was destined to brighten the lives of many during her life. She was the first registered therapy dog to become an official canine volunteer for Hospice Center of Bend, Oregon and December 2006 Jennifer & Patches were Volunteers of the Month. She visited at the hospital, assisted living, memory care and foster care facilities. Volunteered at the local library, Operation Purple Camp, summer Lunch and Learn, and one year was the top individual fund raiser for Bend’sAlzheimer’s Memory Walk. She was a volunteer at an elementary school where the children said she knew her Three L’s. Listening, Licking, and Loving. Patches made friends wherever she went.

Patches, a mixture of ‘pit-bull’ x Beagle x McNab, was part of an abandoned group of puppies in our rural town of Covelo. Despite her difficult early months, she became an ambassador of love and kindness, making people’s lives better. She was definitely a bright light in the lives of many. She was a super star. We are grateful to Jennifer for guiding Patches on becoming the wonderful, patient, loving friend to all. We offer our condolences to her for her loss. Patches leaves a legacy of love.”

Love and big hugs,
Barb, Bev, and all at Bones Pet Rescue

Sham’iran

I rescued Sham’iran after a Great Pyrenees breeder dumped a litter of 6 pups at a veterinary clinic because he didn’t want to mess with them anymore.  Come to find out, all had been exposed to Parvo, 5 contracted it and 3 ended up dying.  One pup, Sham’iran, was spared.

Long story short…I took him in, telling my husband that I was only fostering him until the threat of him coming down with Parvovirus was gone and I could find him a loving family.  My husband asked what the incubation time was.  I said, “Five years”!  When the 5 years were up you couldn’t have pried that big mutt away from my husband, no matter how hard you tried.

We were lucky to have Sham for 6 wonderful years, 4 of which he was a TDI dog.  He was a gentle boy and was willing to do anything for us, even swim, which is not a normal sport for big, hairy mutts.  He pulled our grand children in a wagon during the summer months and in a sleigh during the snowy times.  And he was a wonderful hospice dog.

Sadly, last November he developed osteosarcoma and we lost him just 6 weeks later.  He was a gentleman, a regal boy and a clown, an he is greatly missed.

Jennifer Boley

Becky

Duke

Firefly

Becky volunteered at St. Charles hospital and also was a reading dog at Buckingham Elementary and Ponderosa Elementary schools. Duke volunteered at St. Charles hospital. Firefly volunteered at St. Charles hospital and was also a reading dog at Buckingham Elementary and Ponderosa Elementary schools.

Ann Duffin

Hamlet

Hamlet visited St.Charles hospital, Aspen Ridge Assisted Living, and Bend Transitional Care for two years. Prior to that he was a guide dog for the blind until he retired at eight years old. He is our gift from the Lord who blessed many.

June Bergsetter

Dwight

Dwight retired this past year after volunteering for 9 years in the DogTales reading program at Elk Meadow Elementary and for 4 years in the district Lunch & Learn program. He was honored by the students at the end of the year celebration and had volunteered longer than any other dog in the program.

Shirley Lundgren