Owner recalls impact of RISPCA's canine ambassador

Published Jan. 21, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

The owner of Marvin, the black Labrador retriever who was the ambassador for the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, recalled the dog's impact, in an e-mail projo.com received Thursday.

Dr. E.J. Finocchio, a veterinarian and president of the RISPCA, explains the impact Marvin had on his and many other lives after Finocchio adopted Marvin in 2003. The dog died last Friday.

Here's what Finocchio had to say:

"It would be so empty to try and explain what Marvin meant to me, my family, the RISPCA and the thousands of lives he touched in an e-mail, TV segment, radio interview or newspaper article.

Journal file photo
In 2003, Marvin paid a visit to the South County YMCA as part of a humane education program put on by the RISPCA.

"We have received over 150 condolence messages from the most wonderful and compassionate people who have come to know Marvin over the past seven years.

"Marvin was twice homeless, lonely and unwanted, once because his first owners no longer had time for him. His second family, I use the word family loosely here, no longer wanted him because of his limp. He lived in cage 15 at the RISPCA, a cinder block area for months waiting for his second chance for doing nothing wrong until our eyes met one morning and I knew he was going to become my dog forever.

"Little did I know what was ahead of me, for I only wanted a family dog to keep my wife company when I was away. My wife had been attacked by a large dog as a child and naturally had a hidden fear of dogs. With my son Tim's persistence, we decided to give it a shot and on Thanksgiving Day, 2002 Marvin came home for dinner as our 15th invited guest and has never left.

"What he did in seven years is to me unbelievable. Marvin had a private meeting with the Gov. of our state, met two sitting mayors, (David) Cicilline and ( Stephen ) Laffey and was an invited guest to Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton's fundraiser here in Rhode Island. He was the nation's top therapy dog in 2009, acknowledged by the state legislature for his service and received dozens of awards for his community service. He was featured in Women's World Magazine, The National Enquirer, was in two novels, 'To the Rescue,' written by Elise Lufkin and 'Angel Dogs With a Mission,' written by Allen & Linda Anderson. Marvin was also invited to appear on TV and radio programs many times.

"These made for good news but what he did behind the camera and newsprint were the things that he enjoyed the most and who he truly was. In seven years he visited over 110 different schools, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, libraries, summer camps and after-school programs hoping to put a smile on a forgotten face in a nursing home, hope in the eyes of an inner city child and inspire a sick child at Hasbro Children Hospital to never give up the fight. He helped over 1500 elderly and disabled pet owners keep their pets through the Marvin Fund that was created in 2003.

"Had it not been for Marvin many of these unfortunate people would not have been able to keep their pets. Marvin raised money by a book he wrote, 'Marvelous Marvin,' and by the paintings he created with his tail. Maxwell Mays, who recently passed on, invited Marvin to be part of an art exhibit and the prestigious Rhode Island Water Color Society made Marvin a honorary member, the first dog ever to receive that distinction.

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