One day before the Boston Marathon, a sea of golden fur filled the Boston Common in honor of Spencer, the official dog of the race since 2022 who recently passed away. Owners brought their golden retrievers to the park to play and parade for his second annual celebration.

Spencer gained fame for bringing the public a smile as he cheered on the runners from the sidelines of the marathon. For his efforts, the Boston Athletic Association declared him the race’s official “Grand Barkshal,” as well as the VIP, or “Very Important Pup,” in 2022.

In 2023, both Spencer and his sister Penny lost their battles with cancer. 

“We’ve been golden retriever owners for many, many years, and when Spencer passed away a couple [of] years ago, of course, our hearts were broken,” said Ken Lavalee, who attended the event with his dog Sophie. “Our goldens [have] passed away from cancer before, so of course we felt that loss.”

In celebration of his life, Massachusetts Golden Meetups started these gatherings—Golden Meetups—during marathon weekend to bring dog lovers together and raise money for research to help golden retrievers with cancer. 

Many of the dogs at the event sported bandanas in the Boston Marathon yellow and blue adorned with the phrase “Golden Strong,” a tribute to what Spencer used to wear, and several of their humans had t-shirts to match. 

To show support for the cause, Massachusetts Golden Meetups sold merchandise and, in honor of Spencer and Penny, donated 20 percent of the proceeds to the Morris Animal Foundation, a charity researching animal health, studies of canine cancer, and hemangiosarcoma. 

The event included group photos, a parade around the park, and plenty of playtime. 

“It’s a good time to get our golden to interact with other goldens. He loves being outdoors and going on walks, so we’re excited to bring him to this really big event,” said Aislinn Servaes, who came to the meetup with her dog Archie. “He’s getting love from everyone so he’s very excited.” 

The event provided an opportunity to make new friends, and many humans shaking hands and dogs sniffing butts could be seen among the crowd. 

“It’s a great way to get everyone together, it’s a great way for the dogs to socialize, and it’s always just a really fun time,” said meetup participant Christine Newton.

For people and pups alike, this event was a joyful kickoff to the marathon festivities. 

“Goldens just make everyone happy. Everyone has a smile on their face right now, and I think that’s important,” said attendee Kara Javorski.