Full-Time Friend

Becky and Hilary have important work to do.

Every day, the two Cocker Spaniels accompany their owner, Ann J. to her veterinary oncology hospital in Pennsylvania. There, they offer comfort and quiet companionship to people whose pets are receiving cancer treatment.

“They act as therapy dogs and brighten up people who are feeling low,” Ann says.

“Becky has been coming to the hospital with me for 10 years. People look for her, expect to see her, and ask for her,” says Ann, a longtime Cocker Spaniel breeder who shows her own dogs. “Both Becky and Hilary are very interactive with people, which is a big feature of the breed. They’re also affectionate and merry. And that’s the essence of the breed.”

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