Golden Retrievers Help Deliver
May 22, 2020
A brewery on Long Island is delivering more than just beer during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s delivering joy brought by two golden retrievers carrying beer cans.
Buddy and Barley are the resident dogs of the Six Harbors Brewing Company in Huntington. Like everyone else, COVID-19 forced the company to do only pickup and delivery. So the owners decided to bring their best buds on all the delivery stops and brighten the day of those who are in quarantine.
The delivery dogs have beer cans wrapped around them (don’t worry, they’re empty), and they have been bringing craft beer and huge smiles to people’s homes for the last two months.
“People were saying, ‘gee, I miss your dogs.’ So we started bringing the dogs on some of the deliveries and we said, ‘hey, why don’t we make this a permanent thing. Why don’t we get the dogs out there in the car with us?'” said brewery owner Karen Ravn-Heuwetter.
Ravn-Heuwetter says she’s getting a lot of requests for surprise gifts and special occasions. “People are having us send our dogs to their friend’s house, or their son’s 21st birthday this past week, and as anniversary gifts,” she said.
The furry helpers have the time of their lives riding in the delivery truck, bringing the empty cans to the front door, before the real beer follows.
“This is the first time I’ve ever had beer delivered by a couple of dogs. It makes the beer extra special,” customer Ken Knowles said.
Another customer couldn’t control her laughter and was nearly brought to tears when she was surprised by Buddy and Barley on her birthday. “This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. They’re so sweet,” she said.
It’s an easy job for the dogs and they weren’t hard to train because they love and miss people just as much as customers miss them, Ravn-Heuwetter said.
Buddy and Barley became unofficial therapy dogs, delivering the kind of mid-pandemic cheer you can’t put a price on.
“With what we’re dealing with right now, it’s 5 minutes of happiness which I think a lot of people need,” Ravn-Heuwetter said.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]