Virginia governor’s family dog dies; pet was named Guinness

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s family dog has died.

The governor announced the death of the yellow Labrador retriever named Guinness in a tweet Wednesday night , saying he was heartbroken and the family had lost its best friend.

Spokesman Brian Coy declined to discuss what happened to Guinness, who was around a year old.

Visitors to Capitol Square often stopped to greet the rambunctious, good-natured dog as he roamed or played fetch in the front lawn of the Governor’s Mansion.

The McAuliffe family got Guinness as a puppy. They had an Instagram account where they often shared pictures of him playing, snoozing or lounging around the mansion.