A Tribute to Them Who Also Serve

who “only stand and wait” according to the John Milton sonnet and fitting for all service animals out there.

Thanks to our Trail friend blueINdallas for this touching report on Gilbert:

https://www.startribune.com/melissa-hortman-lie-in-state-mn-capitol/601376699

Former President Joe Biden joined Minnesotans by the thousands who paid their respects to Melissa and Mark Hortman at the Minnesota Capitol on Friday, as the couple received one of the state’s highest honors.

[*POTUS Joe has cancer and he traveled to pay his respects. Orange Adolf can’t even pick up the effing phone to call the Governor.]

Gilbert the golden retriever was never alone as he lay in state at the Minnesota Capitol on Friday alongside his owners, House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman.

A cadre of service dogs took turns guarding entrances to the Capitol rotunda, where a brass-colored urn decorated in tiny paw prints holding Gilbert’s ashes rested between the caskets bearing the Hortmans.

Every so often, a new member of the canine honor guard would relieve one of their fellow soldiers in protecting Gilbert, who was injured in the shooting that killed the Hortmans and later euthanized.

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Author: patd

“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

58 thoughts on “A Tribute to Them Who Also Serve”

  1. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/us/politics/minnesota-melissa-hortman-dog-lying-in-state.html

    A Minnesota Lawmaker and Her Husband Are Lying in State. Next to Them: Their Golden Retriever.
    Gilbert, Representative Melissa Hortman’s dog, is being honored at the State Capitol with Ms. Hortman and her husband, Mark. They were all killed in a shooting at their home this month.
    By Ernesto Londoño
    Reporting from St. Paul, Minn.
    June 27, 2025
    It is not every day that a dog lies in state under the dome of a capitol.
    But Gilbert, a 4-year-old golden retriever who belonged to the family of State Representative Melissa Hortman of Minnesota, was no ordinary dog.
    Gilbert was killed on June 14 after a man stormed into Ms. Hortman’s home and opened gunfire, also killing Ms. Hortman and her husband Mark. It was one of two shootings of state lawmakers that the man, identified by investigators as Vance Boelter, carried out that day, prompting what officials called the state’s largest manhunt.
    On Friday, all three lay in state at the Minnesota Capitol. Ms. Hortman is the first woman in the state to receive the honor, her husband is the first who wasn’t a public official or veteran, and Gilbert is the first animal.
    To understand why Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota saw fit to include Gilbert in a remembrance honor that fewer than 20 state dignitaries have received, it helps to go back to 2014, the beginning of the Hortman family’s yearslong passion for training service dogs.
    The Hortmans’ daughter, Sophie, who was then a senior in high school, decided to train a service dog for a school project and brought Minnie, a black Labrador retriever, into the family.
    Sophie and Mr. Hortman put Minnie through a rigorous training program run by Helping Paws, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to people with disabilities, including veterans and emergency personnel. In July 2016, Minnie was paired with Aric Elsner, an Air Force veteran with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
    Mr. Elsner said Minnie helped him in all sorts of ways, including by picking up dropped items, waking him from nightmares and helping him be at ease in public, which allowed him to get a degree to work as a preschool teacher.
    Having Minnie “was really life-changing,” said Mr. Elsner, 53, who lives in a suburb of St. Paul, Minn.
    In 2021, Ms. Hortman, who was speaker of the Minnesota House at the time, decided to foster and train another dog from Helping Paws. The group sent her home with Gilbert.
    Ms. Hortman proved to be a diligent and devoted trainer, said Alyssa Golob, the executive director of Helping Paws, and there was every reason to believe Gilbert would make a great working dog.
    But as the training period came to an end, the staff at Helping Paws determined that Gilbert was not suited to be an assistance animal. About 30 percent of dogs in the program fail the training, for a variety of reasons. In Gilbert’s case, to put it bluntly, his work ethic was lacking.
    “He had all the skills,” Ms. Golob said. “He just didn’t want to do it and felt like the Hortmans’ couch is where he needed to be.”
    Trainers of dogs that don’t graduate have the option to keep them as pets. The Hortmans were supportive — and perhaps a bit thrilled — by what Helping Paws called Gilbert’s “career change.”
    After the attack, Sophie and her brother, Colin, suggested in a statement several ways people could honor their parents’ legacy. Among them: “Pet a dog. A golden retriever is ideal, but any will do.”
    Haunted by the terror of the shooting at the Hortmans’ home, Ms. Golob said she kept wondering how Gilbert reacted.
    “I like to believe that Gilbert tried to protect them and got in the way,” she said. “That’s how I rationalize it in my head, that he was there for them to the very end.”

  3. be sure to catch in the first 14 seconds of this video Joe’s interaction with one of the service dogs waiting to stand guard.

    Former President Biden paid his respect to former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were gunned down earlier this month in what authorities say was a politically motivated killing, as they lay in state today at the Capitol Rotunda.

  5. many do more than only stand and wait in their service

    These animals not only change their humans’ lives for the better, but they also are once again proof that we don’t deserve such incredible creatures!

  6. cats serve too

    Unlock the potential of our feline friends! In this engaging video, “Training Your Cat to Be a Service Animal: A Purr-fect Guide,” we dive into the fascinating world of cat service animals and how they differ from emotional support animals. Discover the history and evolution of cats in service roles, and learn about the unique training techniques that make them effective companions for individuals with disabilities.

  7. but only in their own way

    Lesley Gore’s You Don’t Own Me has been taken over by cats in this parody song, and the title alone sums up their fabulous, feline attitudes!

  8. Over 75 years of dogs and cats.

    Here lies the last Cat, under the plant in the foreground.
    The handsome cat from Baton Rouge—he was a good one.

  9. but not just dogs and cats

    You may not be surprised to learn that dogs are by far the most common service animals, assisting people in many different ways since at least 1927. However, the dog is not the only animal that has been used as a service animal. In fact, there are many other, less usual creatures that have been used to help their human owners. From ferrets and hedgehogs to dolphins and kangaroos, here are 25 Of The Strangest Pets To Be Used As Service Animals.

  11. A window washing company we scheduled today just called to cancel because they don’t have enough workers on hand. Guess why? Guy said the immigration fears are cutting back their business and they can’t re-schedule for another month. Our neighborhood pizza joint had closed early recently when we stopped by. Same story.

    This must be happening all over. Question is whether it reaches a point to make a difference in what remains overall public support for the crackdown.

  13. Thank you, BID and Pat, for the poignant tributes to the Hortmans and their dutiful Gilbert. Shock and sadness has been palpable in Minnesota. I was heartened to see Joe, I miss his compassion and decency more than I can say.

    The abject depravity of this administration from top to bottom has plunged the country into a long lasting depression, and it’s more consequential than economic or financial.

  15. BiD… I attract hummingbirds with a hanging plant … it’s proper name is honeybells… but its nickname is hummingbird’s lunch.

    We also have a woodchuck (groundhog) problem this year. We have one living under one of our sheds… it’s eating our garden. Rick bought a have-a-heart trap yesterday so that we can relocate it. Haven’t caught it yet.

  17. Renee, my good (birding) friend just yesterday scored her first RBGB as a lifer.

    * for any who may not know the lingo, a “lifer” in birding-world is the first time you see a new bird species

  20. Renee, 2 words – peanut butter. Never caught a groundhog, but I’ve caught skunks and raccoons with it in a hav-a-heart trap.

    Poobah, I’ll have to try your glaze. Dijon/maple syrup is one of my and lp’s favorites for salmon but I’ll have to add ginger to it. Sounds like a terrific addition.

    And while yesterday’s decisions seemed like a disastrous turn toward authoritarian acquiescence by the 6 RWers on SCROTUS, the sun rose this morning and grass is calling me to cut it. So out I go.

  26. “Speaking of service animals, London has this beautiful memorial to all animals who have served in war.“

    I am going to guess that that memorial inspired Spielberg’s “War Horse”

  27. welcome to 2025: the actor who plays the character “ Arthur Morgan” on the video game “ red dead redemption two” is now as I type this playing the game for viewers on YouTube:

  28. I have a reflexive aversion to the word “beautiful” now because King dipshit has exploited it for propaganda purposes and corrupted its meaning, I don’t use it anymore

    Trump ruins everything, thank you asshole trumpers. Have a fantastic day. ✌️

  29. https://deepnewz.com/washington-dc/white-house-treasury-encircled-new-anti-scale-fencing-overnight-b770f53f

    Construction crews began installing large anti-scale barricades around the White House complex and the neighboring U.S. Treasury Department building late Friday night, according to footage circulating on social media. The temporary fencing, designed to deter climbers, was erected along sections of Pennsylvania Avenue and surrounding streets shortly after 10 p.m. local time.

    The U.S. Secret Service, which oversees security for the executive mansion, has not issued a statement explaining the additional barriers, and the Treasury Department also declined to comment. No protests or public events were announced for the area on Friday.

    *Temporary? Probably for the 4th, when a march is planned from Logan Circle to the WH. Why the Treasury Building, though? This entire six months has been one, long heist.

  30. Yeah, why couldn’t he have ruined pulchritudinous?

    In search of sweet corn from a farmers’ market. Shelled peas and bought tiny potatoes ($6 for 1.5 pounds) and made a white sauce for them.

    rr – Planted a ton of garlic around and in the garden, sprinkled a lot of cheap garlic powder on squashes, peppers and tomato plants. The in-ground garlic seems to keep the moles away. Maybe the ground hog would avoid your garden, too.

  33. We used to regularly watch the Porter Waggoner tv show. He had a hillbilly comedian/upright bass player and a female vocalist they called “Little Miss Norma Jean”. No Patsi Cline but she held her own. Then somehow or other Norma Jean was gone and in came Dolly as Porter’s new female vocalist. She was no Patsi Cline either but oh yeah, she was something else.
    And ain’t no part of her ever played the fool for no-bod-ee..……From Elvis and Tom Parker all the way back to Porter.

  34. ” I was heartened to see Joe, I miss his compassion and decency more than I can say.”
    Ivy, me too. can’t imagine DODO ever kneeling in respect to anybody or anything… doubt he is even able to kneel and get up as gracefully as Joe did.
    BTW, Joe also visited the wounded state senator in the hospital and took pictures with the family crowded around the hospital bed with him.

  35. sturge, she sure is something else, a magical melodic poet.
    first heard about her through these words she wrote:

    Love is like a butterfly, as soft and gentle as a sigh
    The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
    Love makes your heart feel strange inside, it flutters like soft wings in flight
    Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing

    her accompanying tune is a musical picture of the sentiment.

  39. Joe shoulda got a Golden Retriever instead of a dumb German Shepherd. I’ve seen them in action in training classes and I don’t think they are to be trusted. Goldens, on the other hand, are golden. Though they too can be rambunctious.

    Dodo should never be trusted with a dog or pet of any species. Pet alligator, maybe.

  43. Dolly Parton Las Vegas Residency 2025: How to Get Tickets, Prices & Tour Dates

    Dolly Parton is heading back to the Las Vegas Strip for her upcoming residency!

    Dolly will perform in Las Vegas six times from December 4 through December 13, 2025.

    “To say I’m excited would be an understatement,” Dolly said about her residency, according to her website. “I haven’t worked Vegas in years, and I’ve always loved singing there. I’m looking so forward to the shows in The Colosseum at Caesars, and I hope you are as well. See you there!”

    Ticketmaster prices for Dolly’s 2025 residency are still unknown at the time of publication, but tickets via StubHub had a starting price of $900. Pricier ones ranged between $2,000 to $7,000, and seats closest to the stage went above $10,000.

    At the time of publication, it does not appear that Dolly: Live in Las Vegas will be available to stream or watch live on TV. Since it’s a limited-run event, fans will have to head over to the Vegas Strip or rely on concertgoers’ videos on social media.

  44. Buffalo, please.

    Meanwhile, somewhere deep in Wyoming, after her 2022 primary wipeout that was payback for her heroism leading the Jan 6 hearings, Liz Cheney’s only constituent is a lone buffalo. She now describes herself on X as “proud rodeo mom, soccer mom, baseball mom, hockey mom, constitutional conservative”—in that order.

  46. Anon
    War Horse was a book, then a Broadway play, and then a movie. The play was unique in using large puppets of the animals in a way that was so heartbreaking that I have never been able to watch the movie.
    The book was 1982. The war animal memorial 2004

  48. We saw War Horse on stage as well as the movie. Both were powerful and amazing.

  49. SEC. 72001. MODIFICATION OF LIMITATION ON THE PUBLIC
    DEBT.
    The limitation under section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, as most recently increased by section 401(b) of Public Law 118-5 (31 U.S.C. 3101 note), is increased by $5,000,000,000,000.

  51. https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/06/28/congress/megabill-reading-out-loud-00431381

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told fellow Democrats they will force the out-loud reading of the GOP’s “big, beautiful bill” if the Senate votes to start debate Saturday.

    The maneuver, which was described by a person granted anonymity to describe private plans, is meant to slow down Senate passage of the megabill and give Democrats more time to raise awareness of provisions inside of it. The reading of the bill by clerks is provided for under Senate rules but is almost always waived by unanimous consent.

  54. I’m not vegan, I’m vegetarian. Soy milk is the only milk that tastes good in cooking, like mashed potatoes or something, but it does not thicken.

  55. https://apnews.com/article/budapest-pride-march-defies-ban-orban-hungary-6919758b70c812bfe95dddb589e44132

    Around 100,000 people defied a government ban and police orders Saturday to march in what organizers called the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in Hungary’s history in an open rebuke of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government.

    Marchers gambled with potential police intervention and heavy fines to participate in the 30th annual Budapest Pride, which was outlawed in March by Orbán’s right-wing populist governing party.

    “This isn’t just about LGBQT+ rights, it’s also about the right to assemble and about standing up for each other and not allowing (the government) to oppress us,” she said.

  56. Some of the folks who attended the wedding-of-the-obscene in Venice, as someone called them Latex Luthor and his bass-mouthed greedbot:

    -Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and their three children
    — Queen Rania of Jordan (but not King Abdullah Il, the monarch of Jordan)
    – Kim and Kloe Kardashian, and Kris Jenner
    – Kylie and Kendall Jenner
    – Mick Jagger
    – Leonardo Di Caprio
    -Tom Brady
    – Orlando Bloom
    – Bill Gates
    – Diane von Furstenberg and her husband Barry Diller
    — Usher
    – Jewel Kilcher
    – Sydney Sweeney
    -Oprah

    *I don’t know who all of these folks are, but I know they are obscenely wealthy and live in an alternate reality, so they don’t understand or don’t care about anyone outside of that reality. I hope they all get the vacation trots.

  57. Chuck probably didn’t come up with hiring the bill to be read. He probably hit a phone ball from Nancy.

    After they are done reading the bill, each party gets 10 hours to debate. Most Republicans won’t use their time, because they need to get that big, awful POS passed for dear Orange Taco. Then it goes back to the House, but get this, the parliamentarian isn’t even done marking up the bill.

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