Joy I. Freedman, a veteran dog trainer/behaviorist who wrote Jmore’s “Critter Corner” column from 2016 to 2018, passed away of colon cancer on May 30. She was 52.
A Baltimore native and Towson resident, Freedman was the owner and operator of 4 Paws Pet Services, a pet care company founded in 1996 and based in Lutherville-Timonium.
“Joy was one of the kindest, most dedicated, and most determined people I’ve ever known,” said Deborah Stone Hess, a local freelance journalist and animal rights activist. “She and I were among the first appointees to the Baltimore County Animal Services Advisory Commission in 2015 and worked closely together for several years. Her dedication to animal welfare was absolute. She was a real friend, someone you could always call when you needed advice or help with anything. She cared.”
Freedman, who graduated from Pikesville High School in 1986, studied at the National Institute of Canine Service and Training. She worked as an adjunct instructor at Anne Arundel Community College. She was also a member of the Baltimore Animal Hearing Board and sat on the Animal Advisory Commission of Baltimore County.
In 2019, Freedman received certification as an oncology patient navigator from the George Washington University, and volunteered for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.
Over the years, Freedman offered advice about animal care on such media outlets as CNN, Baltimore Magazine, City Dog Magazine, Shore Dog Magazine, and on local TV and radio programs.
Freedman was known as a committed advocate for animal rights and a fierce lover of pets. In her debut column for Jmore, she wrote, “You open the door, and there they are. Wagging their tails or sitting by the window, wondering where you have been without them. Perplexed about how you managed a whole day without their guidance. Our pets are our walking/jogging buddies, confidants, nurses and best friends. People who have never ‘been owned’ by a dog or cat can have a tough time relating to us. When that bond is created, it can never be broken.”
Over the years, Freedman wrote in her Jmore column about topics ranging from dog park etiquette, the importance of neutering, excessive conversations with pets, puppy mills and breeders, and the validity of canine sweaters to animal rescue programs, mourning the loss of a pet and tips on helping a cat or dog acclimate to the arrival of an infant in the home.
“In addition to being humans’ best friends, dogs and cats are now being certified as therapy and service animals in record numbers, helping humans cope with cancer, guiding and protecting children with autism, serving side by side with soldiers in battle, and even providing emotional support for people suffering from depression or post-traumatic stress disorder,” she wrote.
In a post on the website of Sol Levinson & Bros., Freedman’s family wrote, “Joy leaves a legacy of love and generosity, having had an immeasurable impact on many lives, human and canine. She was a tireless and passionate advocate, and an inspiration to everyone who knew her. A caring and devoted mother, wife, and friend, Joy was greatly loved by so many and will be deeply missed.”
Said Deborah Stone Hess: “She always remained optimistic and hopeful that she would recover from her cancer, and she fought it with every fiber of her being. Her loss is a tragedy for so many … for Baltimore’s animal community, for those with cancer for whom she advocated, and for her friends. I was lucky to be one of them.”
Freedman is survived by her wife, Lisa Gilden; son, Cole Jacob Stone Freedman; co-parent and dear friend, Jocelyn Stone; stepsons, Benjamin Gilden-Weiner and Samuel Gilden-Weiner; niece, Grace Heinecke; nephews, Hunter and Ian Heinecke; and brother, Ross Freedman. She was predeceased by her parents, Janet and Leonard Liberman and Ronald Freedman.
A private funeral was held on Wednesday, June 2. To watch a virtual link of the service, visit memorials.sollevinson.com/joy-freedman/4625478/?_ga=2.175428706.1934830210.1622423271-6594073.1602251542.
Contributions in her memory may be sent to Colon Cancer Alliance, 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1066, Washington, D.C. 20005 or TRU Rescue, The Joy Freedman Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 27, Phoenix, Md. 21131, or any other local dog rescue.
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