Beloved therapy dog dies
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
The Mon Valley lost a much- loved four-legged friend on Christmas Eve.
Benji, a yellow Labrador retriever and therapy dog at Monongahela Valley Hospital, area nursing homes and elementary schools, passed away Tuesday surrounded by his owners, Diane and Russell Peck, and “pug brothers” Kevin and Kobi.
Benji was adopted into his forever family when he was two months old in April 2011.
Two years later, on May 4, 2013, he passed his Canine Good Citizenship test.
He made the first of many stops to brighten the days of whoever crossed his path on Halloween 2014 at the Residence at Hilltop in Monongahela.
Four other test visits followed before he passed the Therapy Dog International test on Nov. 25, 2014. He made his first official visit on Jan. 2, 2015.
Over his lifetime, Benji visited Mon Valley Hospital, Mon Valley Care Center, special needs classes at Belle Vernon High School and first- and second-grade students at Marion Elementary School.
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