BAXTER: The World's OLDEST End Of Life Therapy Dog Dies (VIDEO)

Baxter, the beloved therapy dog with his own Facebook page and book, Moments With Baxter, died at age 19 on Friday, October 16 after years of volunteering at San Diego Hospice, where he comforted many patients at the end of their lives.

In the last few years the arthritic Baxter needed to be pushed into the hospital rooms on a cart and gently placed into the arms of the dying. It was his vulnerability in his old age that helped him bond even more to the patients he helped let go of life. Watch this beautiful tribute to an amazing animal below.

Comments

[LiberalBuzz]

I couldn't watch the video after the first 30 seconds. Dogs are probably one of our greatest gifts and when we lose them we never forget them.

I can still remember our first dog and on up to today. We've had Ginger back in the 50's. Thor, one of the greatest Irish Setters ever, Then Duke a rescue dog (Well so was Thor but he was rescued from the streets) and Rowdy, our great little Chihoushoa, then Freddie our Cockapoo, then one of my favoirtes, Lilbit who was without a doubt the most personable dog you ever want to meet and now Sugar who is just adorable.

LOVED every one of them and still shed a tear over them, especially Thor and Lilbit.

I can only imagine the tears shed over Baxter.

AND ya know what?

If there aren't any dogs allowed in Heaven I AIN'T GOING!!

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

Torture a dog...how heartwarming.

[nananance]

You think that's torturing a dog? Try opening your eyes to the real cruelty that's inflicted upon dogs every day in our society at the hands of people like Michael Vick

[doneflyin]

Torture?? What chew talkin' Willis? Baxter lived to be 19! Amazing for a dog. I think Baxter had a real good life and helped many people.
Now is you want to talk about animal abuse do a google for Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor's video about the dog and cat fur trade in China. Horrible!

[LindyK]

I had a dog who was a therapy dog so I appreciate their contribution but this poor 19 year old dog needed to end his days not being lifted, which I'm sure was very painful. He looked like a zombie. This poor fella needed someone watching out for him at the end. Rest in peace little guy.

[tinrobot]

Do end of life therapy dogs get end of life therapy dogs of their own?

[redkittyred]

I think they get end of life therapy people

[marjoriem]

hi headly66 - exactly whose butt do you pull your comments out of? thanks, just wondering

[msmandi]

awwwwwwwww­w!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!! okay wow i feel like such a noob this actually made me cry :'(....such a sweet video

[lungfish]

Its ok to feel like a noob. Some of my best friends are noobs...

[msmandi]

woot equal treatment for noobs everywhere :P

[Norak]

I don't think that's what Headly66 meant. I read her comment that because the owner feels all noble and helpful, she is projecting her altruistic feelings onto Baxter, who was old, paralyzed and surely more fixated on getting back to his bed that comforting strangers.

[headly66]

Exactly. I'm not saying animals don't have feelings, of course they do but the dog doesn't sit around thinking he is helping old people he does not know. He likes being petted that's all.
And by the way I am a man.

[mollymac]

How the H*ll do you know? Stop pontificating like you know what the dog is thinking, feeling or how he is acting. People like you are clueless. Seems to me that is you feel, think and how you would act.

[Norak]

What an adorable dog. I can see that he must have brought some brief happiness to patients who appreciated animals for the uncritical acceptance they're imbued with. I had a wonderful friend who was in a semi-coma from brain surgery. Although she was unresponsive, her husband brought her two much loved cats to her hospital bedside, and she managed a smile. They lay beside her and purred for a while. My friend did not survive, but I thought it was a lovely thing for her husband to think of.

That said, as I watched his owner carrying him from bed to bed, and pretty unresponsive himself, I had an uncomfortable conviction that he should have been home sleeping, not wasting the last of his strength on "volunteering" to visit the sick. It was noble when he was able, but I've had dear companion animals grow old and failing, and all they wanted to do was rest. I think they wanted me nearby; I certainly wanted to be there for them after a lifetime of loyalty and unfailing affection. There must be plenty of younger animals who would jump at the opportunity to share their love with ailing patients.

[anitaj]

"If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -----Will Rogers

[3blueeggs]

All dogs go to heaven.

[AwShucks]

When my son came home from the hospital after having a cancerous brain tumor removed, our dog stayed by my sons side until he got better.

I simply told our dog to "go talk care of Matthew".

From that moment on, Pascal stayed lying in the door of Matthew's room both night and day as though guarding him.

Pascal had never done that before and when Matthew got well, our dog never sat in Matthew's door anymore.

I couldn't believe that the dog sensed how ill my son was and just stayed with him night and day.

These animals are wonderful. RIP Baxter and Pascal.

[robiform]

Therapy animals like Baxter, and their human companions truly do the Lord's work! Blessings to Baxter--somewhere, he's happily running free!

[TanzaniteDiamonds]

Beautifully worded. So true. Fanned!! That panda avatar is very cute too.

[the lady]

away from that woman who abused him. If she loved Baxter she would not have dragged his racked with pain arthritic body to put him in torturous pain all day

[headly66]

This poor dog should have been put to sleep after he lost the use of his limbs, he is not happy no matter what this obviously crazy woman wants to think, a dogs whole life is running and playing. Why do people insist on implanting their emotions on their poor pets, animals do not have the same emotions as we do. This is cruelty at its highest form. Could you imagine them carting around a paraplegic child so people can pat it on the head. If I was old and in this condition I would be screaming at this woman. Wouldn't these poor people rather see a cute puppy who is full of life with a future than someone forcing their situation down their throats,"look the doggy can't move just like you, doesn't that make you feel wonderful??!!. What has this world come to.

[Hugatreetoday]

"Why do people insist on implanting their emotions on their poor pets, animals do not have the same emotions as we do."

Good grief. Not another human that thinks animals are devoid of pertinent emotions. Truly, where do you learn this stuff? Whilst I agree that this dog should have been 'retired' from this job much sooner, I do NOT subsribe to the notion that only HUMANS have relavent emotions. That is arrogant and moreover, inaccurate.

[Norak]

I don't think that's what Headly66 meant. I read her comment that because the owner feels all noble and helpful, she is projecting her altruistic feelings onto Baxter, who was old, paralyzed and surely more fixated on getting back to his bed that comforting strangers.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/22/baxter-the-worlds-oldest_n_330249.html

[headly66]

When did I say animals don't have emotions? I said they do not have the same ones we do. This woman is implanting her ideals on the dog and in her crazy mind the dog agrees. It's the same like when people say "look the dog thinks he's a cat " because he hangs out with other cats. It's all in the owners mind.

[the lady]

....and so are you arrogant

[ConservativeHippie]

Run free, Baxter!

[stockard02]

Take a look at this story about another wonderful therapy dog!!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/10/22/dogs.irpt/

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-340294

[deminmo]

Some say animals don't have souls. Well, seems to me they
at least have empathy. Bye Baxter. Have a great time in doggy
heaven. I will be a basket case when my Gretch passes.