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Hundreds of Golden Retrievers join meet-up to honor Spencer, Boston Marathon’s official dog
Sunday's meet up at Boston Common included a walk and a meet-and-greet with marathon runners.
Boston Common became a sea of wagging golden tails Sunday afternoon as hundreds of Golden Retrievers and their owners convened for a “Golden Strong” Marathon Weekend Meetup to honor the official dog of the Boston Marathon, Spencer, and raise awareness for canine cancer.
Spencer, a beloved fixture of the marathon who appeared along the course for seven years to cheer runners on, died in February 2023. Sunday’s meetup, which included a walk and “social hour” for pups and humans alike, was meant to honor Spencer’s memory and raise money to fight cancer in golden retrievers.
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The organizers of the paw-ty, MA Golden Meetups, sold gold and blue tees and bandanas for participants to wear at the event; 20% of each sale was donated toward canine cancer research.
More than 600 people and 350 dogs showed out to the second-ever meet-up, organizers said.
“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,” said Elisha Bussiere, co-founder of MA Golden Meetups.
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Golden retrievers are especially prone to cancer. A study of 3,000 dogs of the breed by the Morris Animal Foundation found that 60% were impacted by the disease.
“Cancer affects far too many Golden Retriever families,” Bussiere said.
Spencer faced “severe medical challenges” in the last few years of his life, his owner Rich Powers said in a Facebook post last year announcing his death, and was diagnosed with terminal spleen cancer in 2021 and an inoperable mass in his liver in 2022.
The pup had become a well-known celebrity for runners and onlookers alike as he cheered runners on along the course by holding “Boston Strong” flags in his mouth.
Appearing at the marathon since 2015, Spencer was named the official Boston Marathon dog by the Boston Athletic Association in April 2022.
The event also featured a meet and greet with marathon runners, which was particularly “special,” Bussiere said.
“Many [runners] said they came across us last year and sought us out this year,” Bussiere said. “We are incredibly honored to be a part of their Boston Marathon experience.”
Commenters on MA Golden Meetup’s Instagram post showing a video of the event said both humans and dogs had a great time.
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Others said they stumbled upon the golden sight to their delight.
“I accidentally stumbled on this, this morning!” one commenter said. “It was Heaven!”
Spencer was recently honored with a statue along the marathon route in Ashland, which was unveiled last month.
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