Gilbert Hortman, a Golden Retriever, is the first animal to lie in state at the Minnesota Capitol along with State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.
Gov. Tim Walz made the decision for Gilbert to join his family members in the Capitol’s rotunda at St. Paul as long lines waited to pay their respects to the Hortmans on Friday.
Gilbert was a four-year old who flunked out of training school to become a service dog to people with disabilities. About 30% of dogs in the training program fail to become service professionals for various reasons.
Melissa took on the task of training Gilbert in 2021, but his work ethic was lacking. “He had all the skills. He just didn’t want to do it and felt like the Hortmans’ couch is where he needed to be,” explained the director of Helping Paws, a non-profit service. The Hortmans were supportive and thrilled with Gilbert’s “career change.”
And so Gilbert Hortman became Minnesota’s first pet lying in state to be honored by the visitation of President Biden paying tribute.
Governor Walz extended an invitation to Kamala Harris to attend funeral services on Saturday.
Biden also visited State Senator John Hoffman in the hospital as he continues to recover from gunshot wounds.
“John’s condition continues to improve,” Ms. Hoffman said in a statement “He is alert, he’s been up walking around and is able to eat. He’s also giving the State Troopers guarding him some grief.”
Vance Boelter’s public defender complained about the strict detention conditions her client suffers from in a court hearing on Friday.
She said she had trouble communicating with Boelter at the Sherburne County Jail, where he says the lights remain on around the clock in his cell. He told the judge he had not been able to sleep for 12 to 14 days. Boelter arrived at the Friday hearing wearing a green garment that was held together with Velcro patches, indicating officials are concerned the individual may harm himself. “I have never been suicidal, and I am not suicidal now,” Boelter claimed.
