A beloved therapy dog was given an emotional sendoff by hospital staff and patients who lined the corridors to give her a guard of honor on her final day.
Lovable Tassy, 12, volunteered at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, California, for the past eight years – but recently her owner, Geri Azevedo, announced that the time had come for her pooch to hang up her leash and retire.
On April 30, Tassy was given a “Code Sun” celebratory walk as a thank you for her service.
After passing by patients, visitors and employees, Tassy then passed the torch – or bone, as staff joked – to the hospital’s current service dog, Bria.
The hospital said: “During a ‘Code Sun’ walk at Doctors Medical Center, employees line the hallways to cheer and clap.
“This is our way of celebrating the discharge of a patient who has spent more than 30 days in the hospital or a patient who successfully fought through a grueling illness or treatment.
“We also use these walks as celebrations for other purposes, like thanking Tassy and Geri for their invaluable service to our hospital.
“We will miss Tassy but we wish her all the snuggles and treats in her retirement.”
