Mingo 2008

Dear Friends, It was with many, many tears and broken hearts that my husband and I sent our angelic Golden retriever, "Mingo," to the bridge this morning. She fought a valiant battle against kidney failure of unknown origin but in the end, we couldn't let her continue to suffer. Mingo was a Certified Service Dog who worked with both physical and psychiatric disabilities. She gave birth to 3 litters of pups, 25 in all, who are all over the world working to help the disabled, and for the last 4 years she was the world's best Delta Registered Therapy Dog and "PAWS" to READ dog. Up until 2 weeks ago she went to an elementary school with me every Friday to work with two children who had trouble focusing - with Mingo curled up beside them, they each read her a 21 page story and then retold it to her in their own words, just in case she missed some of the parts! On Thursdays, she went to Exempla Hospital to help teach 2 developmentally disabled teenagers how to train service dogs...and with Mingo on the end of the leash, it really was easy! Over the last few days as friends came to say goodbye to her, she would get out of her bed and come to them, burying her soft furry head in their laps, giving comfort to others, even as she was dying. This was an extraordinary creature! As I held my hand on her racing heart as it slowed and finally stopped, I realized that many of the people she touched were right when they would tell me, "This dog is an angel!" God speed dear Mingo, look for Kimba and Daisy at the bridge, they are waiting for you, but you left us too soon. We will miss you always! Pat Pat Schwartz Executive Director Golden Kimba Psychiatric Service Dogs Lafayette, Colorado