In her last interview with the Pioneer Press, just days before she and her husband were fatally shot, state Rep. Melissa Hortman said that above all this summer she was looking forward to spending time with her family’s dog.
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A nonprofit organization that trains assistance dogs posted Monday morning that their golden retriever, Gilbert, did not survive gunshot injuries he suffered during the Saturday shootings of Melissa and Mark Hortman in their Brooklyn Park home.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of Gilbert’s passing. We can confirm that he did not survive the attack at the Hortman family’s home early Saturday morning,” Helping Paws Inc. wrote on Facebook.
In this photo from 2022, provided by Helping Paws of Eden Prairie, Minn., state Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, poses with Gilbert, a golden retriever trained to be a service dog but eventually adopted by the Hortman family, at a training facility in Hopkins, Minnesota. (Helping Paws via AP)
When asked about her plans for the summer interim a few days before she was assassinated, the former DFL House speaker told the Pioneer Press that she looked forward to enjoying the backyard of her Brooklyn Park home and spending time with her dog, which she said could tell when she was about to head to the state Capitol for long days of work during the prolonged and politically contentious session.
“We are mourning the loss of two dedicated volunteers and one of our beloved dogs who once trained in our program,” the Helping Paws post said.
The mission of Helping Paws is to enhance the independence and quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities and veterans with PTSD through the use of assistance dogs, according to the organization.
A previous post mentioned Hortman’s death saying, “She was a Helping Paws Foster Home Trainer, a neighbor, and a friend. The Hortman family raised and trained Minnie, who is now a working service dog partnered with a Veteran. They also helped raise and train Gilbert, a service dog in training who was eventually career changed and became a cherished member of their family.”
The organization noted that when its service dog candidates can’t fulfill their training standards, volunteer training families, like the Hortmans, are given the option of adoption.
The Hortmans’ connection to Helping Paws began in 2014 when their daughter, Sophie, chose to raise a service dog — Minnie — as her high school service project. When Sophie left for college, Mark Hortman continued training Minnie, who was successfully placed with a veteran in 2016.
The Hortmans, and Gilbert, continued their association with Helping Paws, including participating in events and dog-sitting other training candidates.
In Monday’s federal complaint charging Vance Boelter, 57, with murdering Hortman and her husband, there is mention of the dog being “gravely” injured in the attack. Helping Paws said later Monday that Gilbert was euthanized by his veterinary medicine caregivers.
“We’ve been deeply moved by the outpouring of support and compassion we’ve received,” Helping Paws wrote online. “In response, we will soon make a formal announcement regarding the establishment of a fund in honor of the Hortman family and Gilbert. This fund will support our program placing service dogs with veterans and first responders living with PTSD.”
