Four years ago, she offered Rica, then a 1-year-old German shepherd, to Wanganui woman Melanie Donne, who lost her dog to cancer.
Ms Donne needed a disability assist dog and Rica became hers after Mrs Lewthwaite concluded a two and a-half month battle to have Rica released from the Oamaru pound after a stock-worrying incident. The Waitaki District Council agreed the dog could be released if she was suitably rehomed.
Mrs Lewthwaite had not seen Rica since she dropped her off at the airport in October, 2006, destined for a new life in the north. However, she kept in touch with Ms Donne.
Ms Donne and Rica flew to Christchurch for the New Zealand Companion Animal conference last weekend.
She and her son Aidan (11) spent the day with Ms Donne and Rica, and Mrs Lewthwaite admitted she "fell apart" when it was time to leave.
"She's just beautiful."
It was "brilliant" to see Rica - who was "not a vicious brute of a dog" - and she was "so happy", even though she had to give her up.
"I'm happy where she is and so happy that she's doing her job."
