The Animal Shelter Honors the Life of K9 Ambassador Miss Tess

ZANESVILLE, OH – The Animal Shelter Society’s K9 Ambassador, Miss Tess, made her final journey home to the shelter.

Last Wednesday, the Animal Shelter announced the passing of their 8-year-old ambassador Tess. Monday, her ashes and pawprints for staff members were brought back for one final goodbye.

April Gibson, the Executive Director of the Animal Shelter, said that Tess hadn’t shown any signs of illness, which makes her passing that much harder.

“It was devastating, it was devastating to myself, my staff, my vet staff, and my board of directors,” Gibson said. “She was a pillar of this community, it wasn’t about me being the executive director or board of directors, it was all about Tess. Tess is the one who actually represented the Animal Shelter, when she would walk in a room they knew who she was and why she was there. So it was a very special thing.”

Gibson said after Tess passed, she immediately reached out to Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home & Crematory to help with her final arrangements.

Cody Dierkes, the Owner and Funeral Director, says he wanted to honor the life and legacy of Miss Tess and every life she touched.

“Pets are a part of everybody’s journey in life and everybody has a story about pets,” Dierkes said. “We thought it was important to help the Animal Shelter in their time of need with Miss Tess and to honor her and her joyous life she had and just to take care of her, as anyone would, for a human being, They’re just as important as anybody.”

Gibson says she will name a new K9 Ambassador, after they have had time to grieve.