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Pasco honors grief dog and funeral director-owner

Suncoast News photo by CARL ORTH

Grief therapy dog Lucy outside the Pasco County Commission meeting room Tuesday. The county honored the dog and her rescuer-owner, Tom Dobies of Dobies Funeral Home. Anita Johnson, a commission secretary, pets Lucy as she leaves with Dobies. John Malley, background, is the assistant manager of Pasco Animal Services.

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: July 28, 2009

Updated: 07/28/2009 10:12 pm

NEW PORT RICHEY - Every dog has her day, as Lucy found out Tuesday.

The former stray dog has become a grief therapy dog at Dobies Funeral Home after owner Tom Dobies rescued her.

Pasco County commissioners honored Lucy and her master on Tuesday. The dog appeared to relish having people in the audience pet her and lavish attention on her.

Dobies, owner of the Dobies Funeral Home chain in West Pasco and North Pinellas, was congratulated for donating a bronze "Tree of Life" wall plaque at Pasco County's new Animal Services Adoption Center to help launch a fundraiser.

On a rainy day in July 2008, the lost, hungry and dripping wet dog appeared on the doorstep of the Dobies Funeral Home in Holiday, county officials explained in a proclamation.

Dobies didn't have the heart to turn away the dog, so he adopted her and named her Lucy.

Despite her own mistreatment by people, Lucy happily greeted everyone at the funeral home with her soft brown eyes. Lucy has become an important member of the Dobies staff as a therapy dog to grief-stricken families. Lucy even has her own employee name tag.

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