Marlin, a standard poodle who has spent the past two and a half years comforting grieving families at Woodstock Funeral Home, is turning eight years old on Saturday, October 17 — and the funeral home is marking the occasion with a party that benefits shelter animals rather than the birthday dog himself. The celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and guests are being asked to skip presents for Marlin and bring donations for animals at the Cherokee County Animal Shelter instead.
Marlin has become a beloved fixture at the funeral home and throughout downtown Woodstock, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Location manager Paige Ogle got him from a friend when he was five and a half years old, and she never imagined the impact he would have once he settled into the role of resident therapy dog. Ogle said Marlin has brought considerable joy to the building, its staff and the families who walk through its doors, calling him priceless once she brought him home.
A Dog Who Greets Mourners and Chases Trains
Day to day, Marlin greets visitors as they arrive at the funeral home, offering a familiar, steady presence during some of the hardest days of people's lives. He also has a quirkier side: Marlin runs outside and howls whenever a train passes through downtown Woodstock, and the station's report notes that conductors have come to recognize him along the route.
Last year's birthday celebration turned into an unofficial supply drive, with donated toys and leashes filling an entire truck, per the same account. Organizers are hoping this year's gathering, timed to Marlin's eighth birthday, produces another strong showing of support for shelter animals rather than gifts for the guest of honor.
Part of a Broader Shift in Funeral Care
Marlin's presence reflects a wider pattern taking shape at funeral homes nationwide, where therapy dogs are increasingly woven into how families are supported through loss. The Alliance of Therapy Dogs has observed that a growing number of funeral homes now keep a therapy dog on staff, and that more of those homes are opting for certified or registered animals rather than simply bringing in an untrained pet, according to therapydogs.com. The same organization has documented cases such as a therapy dog named Lola calming a grieving teenage girl at a Michigan funeral service until she stopped crying, and a golden retriever named Judd comforting a mourner who said he sat right at her feet throughout her husband's visitation and funeral in Fairmount, Indiana.
The American Kennel Club has likewise noted that an increasing number of funeral directors recognize the comfort therapy dogs can provide, as reported by akc.org. A National Funeral Directors Association survey found that more than half of respondents said they would be somewhat, very or extremely interested in having a therapy dog present at a funeral or memorial service, per TODAY. That outlet also detailed Judd's path to the role, noting he spent a year in obedience and therapy-dog training before beginning his work comforting mourners.
Similar Dogs Across the Country
Woodstock is far from alone in leaning on a four-legged staff member. In Clearfield, Pennsylvania, a three-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever named Sully recently joined Bennett-Houser Funeral Home, where his role is to provide companionship and comfort to families during services, according to WJAC-TV. Elsewhere in Pennsylvania, a corgi named Ketchup visits Kohut Funeral Home in Allentown, and a golden retriever named Sammy resides at Stephens Funeral Home in Upper Macungie Township, both cited by the News-Journal as evidence that the use of therapy dogs at memorial services has been growing for decades in the United States.
Back in Woodstock, the plan for Saturday is simple: cake, company and a line of donations headed to animals waiting at the Cherokee County Animal Shelter. For a dog who spends his days quietly sitting with people in grief, it is a birthday built around giving something back.
