EVERETT — Thirteen years could hardly be called a good long life — unless it’s the life of a beloved pet. Zippy the Dalmatian was that and more. A co-worker and downtown fixture in the cafe that bears his name, Zippy died last week.

“He had so much love for everybody. He was just a supportive dog, a co-pilot to me and everyone else in here,” said Marilyn Rosenberg, owner of Cafe Zippy.

The spotted dog had been a friendly presence downtown since 2007 when Rosenberg opened her first coffee shop, Zippy’s Java Lounge, on Hewitt Avenue. He used to run alongside her when she biked to work, but had recently struggled with mobility. Zippy died Sept. 2.

“People have been popping in here, all ages. They just start crying and hugging me. Everyone had a special spot for Zippy,” Rosenberg said.

On July 16, she hosted a 13th birthday party for Zippy at the cafe. A memorial gathering for the community to say goodbye to Zippy is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran College, 2802 Wetmore Ave., across the street from the coffee shop.

“I’ll say a few words, and there will be an open mic,” Rosenberg said Tuesday. “I’ll have pictures, and yesterday I ordered dog tags. They say ‘I spotted Zippy,’ and inside the O is a heart.’”

Rosenberg can’t begin to guess how many customers petted her dog over the years. “Thousands,” she said.

Friends have helped her create a backyard memorial garden where Zippy’s remains are buried. There’s a hand-painted sign, “Zippy’s Spot,” a wicker chair, a birdbath, a bicycle wheel, “and some of his favorite sticks and large rocks I collected at the Hoh River with him,” she said.

In his final days, Zippy still wanted to get up and greet people, and Rosenberg said she helped him do that.

“That’s what he wanted to do until it was time to go,” she said.

Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.

Say goodbye

A public memorial gathering to say goodbye to Zippy the Dalmatian is scheduled for 5-7 p.m. Friday at Trinity Lutheran College, 2802 Wetmore Ave., Everett.