Wynn, a service dog in-training who became an internet sensation last year for comforting emergency room staff during the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic, recently said “goodbye” to her friends at Rose Medical Center in Denver, Colo.
She will now begin more advanced service dog training with Canine Companions for Independence, which will determine what kind of service dog she will become.
The pup made national headlines last March when her caretaker at the time, Dr. Susan Ryan, posted a photo of the pair sitting on the hospital floor together. During the first dark days of the COVID-19 plague on the planet, the image especially touched social media users.
Ryan, who raised the dog for two years through Canine Companions for Independence, helped organize a bittersweet farewell for Wynn earlier this month. Staff members gathered one last time, with some holding signs calling Wynn a hero.
“We all witnessed a lot this year,” Ryan told KDVR. “We had incredible camaraderie, we were the best team I ever imagined being around, and she was part of our team. She saw us through. People would just pet her and break out into a smile when it was just the hardest day.”
While Wynn’s future training will determine her placement — which could range from helping a veteran with PTSD to acting as a therapy dog in a hospital — she will continue to help get people through tough times.
Thank you, Wynn, for all you’ve done over the last year.
