Residents came together Friday to honor a guide dog who died last year after being left inside a van for hours.

Milton was just 3 when a worker at a Smithtown dog training facility left him inside the vehicle during a 90-degree day in May 2022.

The dog's owner, Michelle Krupa, says Milton meant very much to her and that the black Labrador retriever was more than just a pet.

"He was my eyes. He was, I always say, he was my guardian angel because when I was with him, I was always protected," Krupa says.

Friends and family brought their dogs out to play on the grass in Milton's honor and also to raise awareness for people with disabilities.