Hospice dog leaves legacy of love, hope / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, November 9, 2009

The Associated Press

November 9, 2009

AP Photo/Ollie Media

Baxter the hospice dog sits with owner Melissa Joseph. Baxter, a Labrador and chow mix, comforted hundreds of terminally ill people in the hours before they went to sleep for the last time. Baxter himself died Oct. 16, at nearly 20 years of age.

As a therapy dog, Baxter comforted hundreds of hospice patients in their final hours. This year, old age caught up with Baxter.

The chow-golden retriever lost much of his body fur and use of his legs, so his owner, Melissa Joseph, made him a special red wagon that she pulled from door to door so he could visit hospice patients.

She would lift him onto the patient’s bed, even though he weighed 36 pounds. Then frail arms would circle his neck or gnarled hands would stroke his fur, and he and patients would share uncomplicated, unhurried moments that often turned into hours.

Baxter died last month at 19 1/2, one of the oldest working therapy dogs in the United States. A memorial service Wednesday at the San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine drew nearly 100 friends, family and staff. A YouTube video tribute has been watched by more than 315,000 people.

“He licked tears from grieving faces, gave hugs to those at a loss for words, and warmed the hearts and souls of those who were making their transition,” Joseph wrote in her online eulogy.

Baxter was always surrounded by a crowd when he visited several times a week, said Lisa McCullough, spiritual counselor for the inpatient care center. Some patients who refused to share their life stories with staff would talk freely if Baxter was in the room.

“And sometimes they opened up about the end of their life’s journey,” McCullough says. “I think Baxter made them feel safe and valued. He has helped just countless patients discover purpose and peace and connection in the last phase of their lives.”

When asked why a dog could provide more comfort than a human, Joseph says, “Part of it is the silence. They communicate very loudly, but the patient doesn’t feel compelled to respond.”

Sometimes, because they knew Baxter was also coming to the end of his life, a patient’s concern for the dog would overshadow their own pain, she says.

Joseph, 54, and her husband, Dennis Bussey, 63, knew Baxter’s time was nearly up, so in June, they released a book called “Moments with Baxter,” a collection of 36 stories about Baxter and his work, and put together the YouTube video tribute.

For now, Joseph and Bussey, both retired, will spend most of their time promoting sales of the book, with proceeds to go to the hospice and charities that support animal causes.

But they do plan to get another dog and resume their hospice work. Joseph says everyone benefited from the time Baxter spent at the hospice, including Baxter.

“He got a lot out of it, too, which is why he lived to such an incredibly old age,” she said. “He was surrounded by love.”

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9 November 2009
at 1:01 p.m.

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pintogreen (Anonymous) says…

great story!
10 November 2009
at 8:26 a.m.

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consumer1 (Anonymous) says…

When I first saw the picture I thought she was holding a lion cub. What an awesome dog.