[typography font="Ubuntu Condensed" size="24" size_format="px"]Golden retrievers sent to comfort Newtown survivors[/typography]
A Lutheran charity group has sent about eight golden retrievers to comfort the survivors of Friday’s mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Lutheran Church Charities in Addison, Ill., sent the dogs on an 800-mile journey to respond to the disaster.
Lutheran Church Charities President Tim Hetzner told the Chicago Tribune that the dogs “are nonjudgmental. They are loving. They are accepting of anyone.”
The dogs have traveled around the country to comfort people after disasters. “The dogs have become the bridge,” Lynn Buhrke, 66, who is a handler for a female golden retriever name Chewie, told the Associated Press. “People just sit down and talk to you.”
The dogs’ first stop on Sunday was Christ the King Lutheran Church, where funerals were held for two children killed in the shootings, Hetzner told the AP. “You could tell which ones … were really struggling with their grief because they were quiet. They would pet the dog, and they would just be quiet.”
The comfort-dog initiative started in 2008 at Northern Illinois University after a gunman killed five students. A group of dog caretakers associated with Lutheran Church Charities went to provide a distraction for the student community. The initiative has grown from a handful of dogs in the Chicago area to 60 dogs in six different states, Hetzner said. The LCC website notes that the eight dogs serving in Newtown are Abbi, Barnabas, Chewie, Hannah, Luther, Prince, Ruthie, and Shami.
God bless these ‘Comfort’ dogs on their mission of mercy. They will help; dogs always do.
dogs “are nonjudgmental. They are loving. They are accepting of anyone.”
Amen.
That’s why they make such excellent therapists…
God sent Christ to save our souls.
He sent dogs to save our lives.
…need that on a bumper sticker…
This makes me happy.
BTW, Pam, have you seen the Iams commercial with the little boy and the cat? I always think of you when I see it.
No, I don’t watch regular TV, so miss most commercials. I’ll look it up on YouTube, though.
This one? It’s precious!!! Made me think of Liam and Jack!
That’s the one! And that’s exactly what I thought, too. Does a heart good to see it in a commercial.
I hear that Jack is Liam’s cat now and that the guy is making eye contact and trying to communicate. Who woulda thought?
On an even brighter note, he’s seen a neurologist and has an entire series of tests and appts with specialists lined up. Progress!
This is such a great program, and goldens are the best dogs for it, but I might be biased.
They’re awesome dogs!
they need some Pugs!
And Collies and Corgis!
Tis good news all the way around, Pam!
And I’ve spent two days thinking of this story. Perfect headline for this would have been Lutheran Labs of Love. I know people like to differentiate between regular labs and retrievers, but…