What can you do? What can you possibly say to bring any small comfort to the town that was decimated by last weekend’s school shooting?
On Saturday, a team of specially trained golden retrievers travelled from Chicago to Newtown to comfort residents reeling from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting last Friday.
The ‘comfort dogs’, an initiative of the Lutheran Church Charities, made their first stop at a local church where funerals are planned later this week for two young victims. Newtown residents, including young Sandy Hook students, parents and others in the community had the opportunity to meet the animals, cuddle them and talk with their team of handlers.
“You could tell which ones … were really struggling with their grief because they were quiet,” Lutheran President Tim Hetzner told the Chicago Tribune. “They would pet the dog, and they would just be quiet.”
Hetzner said the town’s heartbreak is widespread – even for those people not directly affected by the shooting. “I asked [one man] how he is doing. He just kind of teared up and said: ‘This year, I’ve lost five loved ones and now this happened.’ The whole town is suffering.”
The ‘comfort dogs’ initiative, which has grown from a handful of dogs to 60 across six US states, was established in 2008 following a shooting at Northern Illinois University which left five students dead. When they aren’t providing solace in the aftermath of tragedies, the dogs spend their time visiting people in hospitals and nursing homes.
Each dog has a business card, Facebook page, Twitter account and email so people can remain in touch with them following their encounter. “Dogs are nonjudgmental. They are loving. They are accepting of anyone… It creates the atmosphere for people to share”, Hetzner said.
Top Comments
Just gorgeous.
Sometimes, it's saying nothing that helps us heal. Puppies are perfect for that.
Nobody knows what to say with this tragedy. I'm glad that our furry friends can help.
The first photo of the young girl with the dog is just beautiful.
My mum has two golden retrievers and takes them to visit a school for severely disabled children once a week during term time. The kids love it - they just come alive, and the teachers say they notice such a difference in the students. They get to pat and cuddle the dogs, and the dogs will shake hands or do simple tricks, and the kids think it's fantastic. One of the classes drew pictures and took photos throughout the year of the visits, and presented my mum with a book they had made. My mum was so impressed - she definitely didn't expect it, but she loved knowing how much the kids enjoyed seeing the dogs.