St. Augustine dog known around the world given months to live

ST. JOHNS, Fla. – A yellow labrador retriever named Guenevere that has captured the hearts of people around the world will no longer be going on the walks of Amercia’s Oldest City that made her famous.

Guenevere’s human companion, Gary Williams, is coming to grips with the recent diagnosis that the 12½-year-old dog has terminal cancer.

“She had cancer three times before ... and this battle is no one we can win,” Williams said. “She has lung cancer and apparently it’s pretty severe at this point. We’re working with months.”

Over the last five years, Williams has posted photos of his beloved dog and her smirk became a social media sensation on the Love St. Augustine Facebook page. Williams posted photos of daily walks with tourists, landmarks and events of St. Augustine. He said she’s come to be known as Queen Guen.

“She gets this expression it’s almost like a smile,” Williams said. “I would let her lead and we would never take the same way,” Williams said. “It just became a thing where I started doing a narrative of her thoughts and my thoughts and it became a conversation. And over time, she became snarky, and usually, it was (at) my expense.”

People from around the world played along.

“Five (or) six thousand people responded with two (or) three thousand comments.”

The catalog of more than 1,400 posts of Guenevere are coming to a halt after her recent diagnosis.

Williams said when he got Guenevere’s diagnosis, he cried.

“It is going to be very, very difficult for me and for everybody who follows her,” Williams said. “Just her companionship. I mean, I already miss the walks.”

While their walks through the city might have ended, their walk together is not yet over.

“She’s been like a best friend to me and been through thick and thin and I just want to be there for her now at the end," Williams said. “I think she knows I love her. I know she does.”