Stephen Huneck was an artist and author of several children’s books which included as a main character, his black Labrador Retriever, Sally. In 1997, he acted on an idea he had to “build a chapel, one that celebrated the spiritual bond we have with our dogs, and that would be open to dogs and people. People of any faith or belief system.”
He started work on the chapel after a near death experience due to acute respiratory distress syndrome. It was situated on his 
mountaintop farm in St. Johnsbury, Vermont on a spot he called on “Dog Mountain.” “Dog Chapel,” as it was called, was molded in the style of an old fashioned village church built in Vermont in 1820, but with a few “modifications.” It featured a dog door, carved wooden dogs lining the pews, dog themed stained glass windows, and walls covered with remembrance notes and pictures of the departed pets of visitors. On the top of the church steeple is a Labrador Retriever with wings that turn in the wind.
Each year, Huneck and his wife, Gwen, held gatherings known as the “Dog Party and Dog Fest” at his Dog Mountain studio.
Sadly, an economic downturn in 2010 forced Huneck to lay off most of his employees. Despondent and depressed, he took his own life, and Gwen carried on with the running of the chapel, until she passed away in the summer of 2013. Staff continues to maintain the vision of Stephen and Gwen, and Dog Mountain remains free and open to the public.
We know that many of you have actually visited Dog Chapel, and we’d love to hear from you and see your photographs.
Images: Dog Chapel from the outside, and the greeting outside Dog Chapel
Best side trip I ever took. If you ever lost a loved dog, please go here if you’re in the neighborhood.