Gilbert the Golden Retriever: The Capitol’s Beloved Pup Who Stole Hearts — and Stayed Until the End

Gilbert wasn’t meant to be a star. The golden retriever, with a wagging tail and an irresistible personality, was originally trained to be a service dog through the nonprofit Helping Paws. But while he had the heart, he didn’t quite have the focus.

“Some dogs are just too friendly — they want to be around everyone,” said Alyssa Golob, executive director of Helping Paws. “That’s lovely, but not ideal for service work.”

So Gilbert was gently “flunked” from his training — a loss for the program, but a win for Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her family, who got to keep him as their full-time family dog.

Hortman had bonded deeply with Gilbert during a tough chapter in her life — following the January 6 Capitol attack, the pandemic, and the murder of George Floyd.

“When she wanted a dog for emotional support, she didn’t just buy one,” said fellow lawmaker Rep. Zack Stephenson. “She fostered a service dog, knowing she’d have to give him up. That’s classic Melissa.”

But Gilbert stayed. He became a lovable fixture around the State Capitol, often jumping into Zoom calls or curling up on Hortman’s lap during meetings. She even joked in a 2022 Facebook post, “This was the one day Gilbert behaved in class.”

The Hortmans got involved with Helping Paws through their daughter Sophie’s senior project. When Sophie went off to college, her dad, Mark, finished training their first service dog, Minnie — who ended up helping a veteran with PTSD.

That veteran, Aric Elsner, said the dog changed everything for him:
“After a few months, I started reconnecting with people, going to my kids’ events — she truly changed my life.”

Gilbert’s story, however, came to a heartbreaking end. On June 14, he was seriously injured in the same violent attack that took the lives of Melissa and Mark Hortman. Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also hurt. The suspect, Vance Boelter, was captured after a manhunt.

Gilbert did not survive. He was humanely euthanized by the Hortmans’ adult children due to the severity of his injuries.

“He stayed with his people until the very end,” said Golob. “We’re devastated to share that Gilbert did not survive the attack.”

At a Minnesota House safety briefing, Rep. Erin Koegel became emotional speaking about him:
“When I heard Gilbert passed too, I knew it was because Melissa needed him. She needed him with her.”

The bond between Melissa and Gilbert ran deep. When he was once temporarily removed for retraining, her Capitol colleagues joked about writing language into a tax bill to legally “seize” him back or send the sergeant-at-arms to retrieve him like a missing legislator.

“When he officially washed out of training, I think that was her happiest moment,” said Rep. Jamie Long. “She loved Mark, but Gilbert was the true love of her life.”

Golob added, “It takes someone really special to raise a service dog you might not get to keep. Melissa had that kind of heart.”

And in the end, Gilbert gave that love right back — all the way to his final day.