It's been said that a dog is a man's best friend. That's certainly true for Chamblee resident Thomas Veith and his dog Weston.
In our February 2026 issue, we ran a preview of the Bulldog Dash 5k race. Thomas, and his wife, Kaylee Goss, her dog, Lady Bug, and Weston were featured in an image for that for the story in that issue. Thomas connected with us to share what a legendary dog Weston was, how Weston has impacted his life, and why he wasn't surprised to see Weston's picture in the magazine .
Thomas adopted Weston, a spirited 65-pound black Labrador mix, from a rescue shelter in 2017. At the time, Weston was estimated to be about a year and a half. Later through a DNA testing site, Thomas would find out Weston’s exact age was only about nine months old at the time of the adoption.
Thomas describes Weston’s energy as uncontainable. “He was just so excited about everything,” Thomas says. “He was curious…this kind of intoxicating positivity of joy and excitement. There weren’t many things we found him to be afraid of.” On outings, Weston was never the dog to sit down and just chill. Thomas says Weston was always on his feet seeing who he could get a pat, or perhaps, a treat from. Thomas also describes Weston as fearless. “He had this fearless presence,” Thomas says. “Nothing really gave him pause.”
One outing the family particularly enjoyed is the Bulldog Dash 5K, as the route runs close to their house. Thomas says their first Bulldog Dash 5K was in 2024, and they saw other people had their dogs at the start of the race. So they ran back to the house, leashed Weston and their dog, June Bug, and they went back to the race. “Both of our dogs were absolutely loving it,” Thomas says. They loved it so much they made the race an annual family event.
Sadly, after being diagnosed in December 2025 with Hermangiosarcoma (HSA), a common form of cancer in dogs, Weston crossed over the rainbow bridge in late January. Days later, after receiving notifications from friends, they realized an image of their family from the prior year’s Bulldog Dash race was highlighted in the February 2026 issue of Chamblee City Lifestyle magazine. Thomas says seeing that image brought him an immense sense of gratitude. “To see him [Weston] there was just one of those things that was a little larger than life feeling, and I chalk it up to his legendary spirit,” Thomas says. “These things just happened to him. It was a big reminder to go do things, and don’t be afraid to go for it.”
Motivated by the optimism he learned from Weston, Thomas realizes now it's his opportunity to give back to the community while honoring Weston. Thomas started by having a pet station in Weston’s honor at the 2026 Bulldog Dash 5K, where he says he met new friends and neighbors. “…Dogs bring people together,” Thomas says, even though he didn’t have his dog with him this time. And Thomas continues to keep Weston’s optimism and motivation going as he finds ways to continue to honor Weston and bring awareness to HSA, something he only learned about once Weston was diagnosed.
"He truly had a legendary spirit," Thomas says, talking about Weston. "And it's going to live on, no matter what. There are so many positive characteristics I learned from him, and I want to keep bringing that to the world. One of the biggest lessons he taught me is if you come with a positive attitude to everything that you do, you're going to have a great time, meet a bunch of great people, and have some great opportunities."
He truly had a legendary spirit. And it's going to live on, no matter what. There are so many positive characteristics I learned from him, and I want to keep bringing that to the world.