Golden Retrievers From All Over Massachusetts Gather in Boston to Honor 'Marathon Dog'

For the second year in a row, hundreds of people showed up to pay tribute to Boston's favorite Golden Retriever. More than 600 people and 350 dogs showed up at Boston Commons in Massachusetts for a “Golden Strong” Marathon Weekend Meetup — a special event to honor Boston Marathon dog, Spencer.

Spencer died in February 2023, but his legacy will live on forever.

According to Boston.com, the Golden Retriever was known for standing by the sidelines of the Boston Marathon for years after the tragic Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. Spencer would always be there with a "Boston Strong" flag in his mouth.

Related: 'Boston Marathon Dog' Expected to Return to Cheer on Runners After His Cancer Treatment

The meet-up on April 14 was the second time that people came out to honor the official Boston Marathon dog. He died from cancer in February 2023. The celebration, planned by MA Golden Meetups, included a walk and "social hours" for the Goldens and their humans.

Along with remembering Spencer, organizers hoped to raise money for canine cancer — a problem that disproportionally impacts Golden Retrievers. A research study from the Morris Animal Foundation of more than 3,000 Goldens found that more than 60 percent had fallen victim to cancer.

“This year we came together to celebrate the beautiful Golden community and bring smiles to as many faces as we could, while raising money for Morris Animal Foundation’s research on hemangiosarcoma with the hope that some day the Golden breed will no longer be plagued by cancer like it is today,” Elisha Bussiere, co-founder of MA Golden Meetups, told Boston.com.

"Cancer affects far too many Golden Retriever families," she added.

MA Golden Meetups sold gold and blue t-shirts and bandanas for people to wear to the event. Twenty percent of the sales went towards cancer research.

The tribute comes just weeks after a statue was erected in Spencer's honor. The statue was unveiled on March 30 and stands across the street from Spencer's usual spot.

The project was spearheaded by Susan Hurley, a Boston Marathon runner and cancer survivor who connected with Spencer's story. She and friend, and fellow runner, Trisha Winton came up with the plan to get the statue commissioned and his owner, Rich Powers, agreed.

After the unveiling, the dog dad told CBS News that he started bringing his dog around to help bolster runners after the tragedy.

"We had lines of people when Spencer was with us, lines of people," Powers recalled. "Not talking like three or four people, it was like 20 people deep waiting to take a picture. They're stopping the marathon to take a picture with Spencer and he loved every second of it."

"Spencer totally understood what he was doing and he knew he made a difference and he enjoyed doing it," he added.

"It's a great story," Powers told WCVB. "Even if you don't know his story, how can you not look at a statue with a sign, you know, a dog looking up, holding some positive flags? How could that be a bad story?" he added. "So, even if you don't know his story, I think the statue is going to mean something to you."

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.