Griffin a.k.a. Mr. Griff was my heart from the night I found him thrown away on a freeway exit ramp when he decided I was his person for life. He was already a little old man - emaciated, sickly, and distressed - and he was given a mere three months to live by his first vet, but he went on to defy the odds and congestive heart failure for over nine years. My vet said he was her miracle dog. He lived and loved with all his heart and it never gave out on him until the day I had to help it stop beating. Mr. Griff was a character, a natural comedian, fiercely loyal and loving, stoic, brave, angelically patient with kids, and unnaturally gifted in his ability to sniff out food.

Mr. Griff was a reluctant muse to many photographers who would ask my permission to try to capture his unique looks on film. He became blind and deaf in his later days and after a bad fall, genially threw himself into his daily swimming therapy with great gusto. But in the end, my vet said that 18 years just caught up with him... he is survived by Minnie and Peency who both feel his absence as much as I do.

It was fate that brought me to Dr. Winters and Dr. Favinsky at BHSAH when my vet of 13 years moved out of state. Their kindness, understanding, compassion, and stellar medical skills have been a true blessing for me and my geriatric animal family.

Helen Lisa M.