Cody, the beloved golden retriever who greeted customers for years at a downtown Victoria used furniture store – and made headlines when he became a target for bylaw officers – has died, according to his owners.
Charmaine's Past and Present on Fort Street confirmed in a Facebook post Monday morning that the gentle dog had succumbed to old age.
"To all of Cody's friends, we are sorry to say he has passed away from old age. Thank you so much for all your love for him over the years," the post read.
Cody was 14 years old when he passed.
The dog was such a fixture at Charmaine's, where he "worked" for most of his life, that the store advertised separate hours for him: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
He'd often be seen lounging on the sidewalk in front of the store, happily accepting head pats from people passing by.
That sidewalk briefly became the centre of controversy when Victoria Animal Control informed Cody's owners they were breaking a bylaw by letting him remain there.
Cody was brought inside the store for a time, sparking a petition calling for him to be allowed to sit outside once more. The petition received nearly 2,500 signatures and spawned massive media coverage.
The dog occasionally still returned to his post outside the store, living out his remaining days until his recent passing.
Comments to Cody's owners have streamed in on social media with many remembering the pooch as a "sweet, kind" dog.
