Kansas town names dog park in memory of beloved service animal

PRATT, Kan. (KCTV) – People and the four-legged members of their families have a new place to run and play this Memorial Day.

It’s partially due to Marco, a golden retriever and guide dog, that showed unconditional love and total dedication to its owner, Randy Teske, of Pratt, for years while helping him navigate the transition of losing his sight.

The Marco Teske Dog Park opened in Pratt, Kan., a month ago. It honors the life of the guide dog while also providing other pups a safe place to run and play.

Marco had more than 250 hours of training before being assigned to Teske. The guide dog then went through additional training after moving into a Pratt home to live with Teske and his wife, according to the South Central Community Foundation.

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Just as Marco worked for years to help Teske, opening the new dog park took a lot of dedication from dozens of business owners and residents who supported the effort.

“It was exciting to see the collaborative effort of nearly 40 families and businesses make this community benefit a reality,” Holly Launchbaugh, Marco Teske Dog Park Chairwoman, said.

After getting approval from city leaders, members of a committee spent months raising money to pay for fencing, trash cans, and benches at the park.

“The city is very excited to see the Marco Teske Dog Park come into fruition and provide an opportunity for our furry citizens to run free and enjoy companionship with other dogs,” Kyle Farmer, City Commissioner, said.

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Marco assisted Teske for nearly 7 years before passing away from cancer. During their partnership the duo worked together to raise awareness about the crucial service guide dogs perform and educated the public about the correct way to interact with service animals.

Following Marco’s passing, Teske received another guide dog named Yeti. Teske and Yeti have worked as a team since 2021.

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