Comfort Dogs Provide Furry Solace to People in Orlando
“...comfort dogs have made their way from around the U.S. to Orlando, Fla., to comfort those affected by...the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history that occurred on June 12 at the Pulse, an LGBT nightclub.
The dogs are available for anyone who needs a hug or a furry neck to absorb their tears...
‘We are reaching out to anyone that has been affected by this directly or indirectly,’ Tim Hetzner, president of Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) K-9 Comfort Dogs, told WLS.
About a dozen dogs & 20 handlers from the nonprofit are currently in Orlando.
‘Your blood pressure goes down when you pet a dog, you feel more comfortable & people end up talking,’ Hetzner said. ‘They’re good listeners, they’re non-judgmental, they’re confidential.’...
LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs, based in Northbrook, Ill., deploys trained therapy dogs from around the country to areas where tragedies & disasters have occurred, as well as to local churches, hospitals, & nursing homes...
When it started out, the nonprofit had 4 comfort dogs. 8 years later, it has more than 100 dogs in 23 states. The dogs are all golden retrievers...this is because they’re a lovable breed by nature...
One of the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs who was flown to Orlando is 5-year-old Gracie of Davenport, Iowa. She’s a comfort-providing veteran, having previously consoled people after the Sandy Hook massacre & in the aftermath of devastating tornadoes in Illinois & Oklahoma.
Gracie is known as one of the sweetest of all the LCC comfort dogs, Jane Marsh-Johnson, one of her handlers, told BuzzFeed News. “She’s always got a big smile.”...
‘We encourage those [in Orlando] who are grieving to sit down on the floor & pet dogs like Gracie,” Marsh-Johnson said. ‘The dogs do more for those suffering than human beings can do.’...”
Laura Goldman
June 14, 2016
care2.com
Cute Critter Pic
No comments:
Post a Comment