Vermont’s famed artist of man’s best friend committed suicide in early January, apparently despondent about having to lay off employees at his Dog Mountain studio and dog chapel nearby his home in St. Johnsbury. The artist of whimsical paintings, sculptures, and woodcut prints, brought him fans across the globe. Huneck’s wife, Gwen, wrote in a letter, that laying off employees really hurt him. “He cared about them and felt responsible for their welfare.” Dog lovers often came to visit the chapel. Huneck once told an Associated Press reporter, “When dogs pull in here, they may never have been here before, but it’s like they saw the ‘Disneyland’ sign. They just get so excited and happy.” Stephen Huneck made lots of people and their canine companions happy. It’s a sad lick goodbye.