In the face of almost every tragedy, there is relief from dogs that I truly admire, Therapy dogs. No words will make anyone in Boston feel any better, but the love, reassuring licks and hugs from these hero dogs certainly will make the pain more bearable. Below is the story of the Comfort Dogs that helped in Boston from Dogster.
Earlier this year, the K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs made headlines when they traveled to Newtown, Conn., to provide comfort to the people affected by the December school shooting.
Today, the dogs have arrived at another sad destination --
Boston. But as they did in Newtown, the therapy dogs are helping those
who need it most.
"The dogs are here to bring comfort, release and mercy to
people who are going through a confusing time in their lives," Tim
Hetzner, president of Lutheran Church Charities, which runs the dog
program, told the New York Daily News.
Three dogs came from the group's headquarters at Lutheran
Church Charities in Chicago; two more came from Newtown, where they have
been since the massacre.
The dogs -- Ruthie, Luther, Isaiah, Maggie, and Addie --
are meeting people on the streets around the marathon site, as well as
visiting all the Boston hospitals that are treating victims. The comfort
dogs plan to stay until Sunday making rounds, but they'll stay as long
as they're needed.
"When patients see the dogs, they light up and smile. It
gives them a chance to release," said Hetzner. "In many cases they talk
to the dogs like they are counselors, big furry counselors."
