The newest litter of service dogs from 'Helping Paws' will serve as a tribute to the Hortman family one year after the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman her husband Mark and their dog Gilbert.
Leaders at Helping Paws say they're channeling their grief into a mission of hope.
Gilbert was a beloved golden retriever adopted by the Hortmans. He was deemed too friendly for a strict working dog's life, which ultimately led the family to adopt him.
Organization spokesperson Jonathan Kramer says thanks to a $200,000 fund appropriated by the state legislature, the organization is now actively training the guided by Gilbert Litter of golden retriever puppies.
"These puppies are showing that they are going to be future service dogs, for helping Paws to continue to breed, train, and place dogs is the best way to continue the legacy of Melissa, Mark, and Gilbert," Kramer said.
Kramer says after losing the Hortman couple and Gilbert, Helping Paws was looking for ways to honor them, and the litter was helping to continue that mission.
He says the organization is now training the "Guided by Gilbert" puppy litter to carry on the family's legacy, the litter's raining was funded by the state legislature.
"A litter of 10 beautiful healthy golden retriever puppies, they spent the first 10 weeks with their mother and volunteer caretaker homes, who happened to be neighbors of Melissa and Mark Hortman," Kramer adds.
The newly established Hortman Heroes Fund will also help them continue their work.
