In Winder, Georgia, a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School brought a rifle to school and shot thirteen people. Two fellow students and two teachers were killed; eight students and one teacher were wounded and hospitalized, but are expected to survive. The shooter was arrested; his father was also charged as an accessory.
Within 24 hours of the shooting, one extraordinary group sent unique teams specially trained to respond in such situations. They are the K-9 Comfort Dogs of Lutheran Church Charities, a ministry that trains Golden Retrievers (and their handlers) to bring comfort and healing to people in need of emotional support. The dogs are (by nature) good listeners, non-judgmental and have an instinct to know when someone is hurting and needs a friend.
Each K-9 Comfort Dog team works in its local parish, helping humans who are going through a difficult time or who experienced a traumatic event, such as a critical illness, or death of a loved one. They work with special needs children, and residents of nursing homes. But when disaster strikes, Lutheran Church Charities is ready to send in teams of dogs and handlers to bring mercy and compassion to those affected. The pastor at the local church in Winder requested the K-9 Comfort Dogs to come minister to that hurting community, and within a day, nine teams began arriving from nearby states, including Florida, Tennessee, the Carolinas – one team came from Nebraska, all ready to minister to the families, survivors and first responders!
K-9 Comfort Dogs never charge a fee for their service; they depend on donations. To learn more about these special dogs and their mission, or to make a contribution to help support them, visit the website, LutheranChurchcharities.org and click on the link for K-9 Comfort Dogs. Many of us know all too well how much it helps to hug a furry friend for comfort, when we’re speaking of pets.
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