Canuck Place’s assistance dog dies of cancer
They say all dogs go to heaven, but never will there be a grander welcoming than for Poppy, a beloved assistance dog who worked at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, providing comfort to sick and terminally ill kids.
The popular golden retriever died Tuesday after an aggressive battle with cancer. She was 11 years old.
“There’s a lot of heartbroken people right now,” said Cherie Ehlert, between cracks in her voice.
Ehlert’s daughter, Charlie-Anne, has spinal muscular atrophy and first met Poppy years ago as a toddler. Ehlert said Charlie-Anne, now 9, was “howling ” when she was told Poppy had died.
“She (Poppy) got sick like all the kids do,” Cherie Ehlert said.
Poppy first arrived at the Pacific Assistance Dogs Society through a puppy exchange program with Ontario’s National Service Dogs in 2007. PADS spokeswoman Tara Doherty was among those who worked with Poppy during her training as a puppy.
Early on, the dog showed promise and had all the qualities needed to be an accredited facility dog (AFD), work that not every canine is suited for. Doherty said what set Poppy apart from other dogs was how calm she could be, even if a patient was not.
“What I loved about watching Poppy work was — she would just choose who needed her and kind of settle in with them. If someone else approached, she would almost turn her shoulder a little bit like, ‘No, this is who needs me right now.’ ”
When Poppy was 2 ½years-old, she was placed with Dr. Hal Siden, a pediatric palliative care expert and medical director for Canuck Place. Poppy then went to work at the Vancouver hospice.
There, Poppy frequently joined families on outings, participated in counselling sessions, provided end-of-life comfort and spent time with individual children and their families.
Canuck Place spokeswoman Debbie Butt said Poppy, seen as a colleague by hospice staff, had a “high sensitivity and intuitiveness for humans who were hurting.”
The canine also inspired a bestselling children’s book called The Dog written by Helen Mixter and illustrated by Margarita Sada. The book explores the comforting relationship between a child and their canine companion, particularly during difficult times.