BELLINGHAM (CBS) – He’s more than family pet.

A therapy dog is missing. The white lab disappeared days ago.

It just isn’t the same for Michael Boddy snuggling on the couch without his best buddy. Seamus helps his 6-year-old owner get through some life-saving medical treatments.

“He has two needles stuck in his back,” said Anne Boddy, Michael’s mother.

For several hours at a time, Michael has to sit with these needles injected every week to treat his immune deficiency. He never has to go through it alone when Seamus is around.

WBZ-TV’s Christina Hager reports.

“He usually stays near me when I do shot medicine stuff,” said Michael.

Seamus is not officially a service dog, but he is specially trained to sit with a patient without disturbing the medical equipment, and not moving the tubes or touching the medicine.

“It’s stressful of course to set up any medication for your child, to stick needles into them, and I think the kids sense that. They don’t like it and it’s uncomfortable for everybody. The dog had a nice calming,” said Anne.

On Tuesday morning, the dog got spooked and ran into the nearby woods. The family has put posters around town hoping someone will spot the white lab.

“Every dog holds a special place in your heart and this dog has two jobs, so his place is a little bit bigger,” said Anne.

It makes his pint-sized owner a little bit more lonely on the couch, now without him.

Seamus is one year old, and he’s big, weighing in at more than 100 pounds.

His family is hoping someone picked him up and just doesn’t realize where he belongs.