Ruthie & Emma
Dona Martin, Rich Martin, Tim Hetzner and Exchange Student Viki
Viki & Ruthie
Tim Hetzner
More About the LCC K-9 Comfort Dog Program on November 6, 2018
The LCC K-9 Comfort Dog program started in 2016 and has expanded to 26 states. The dogs are specially trained to not react to distractions or loud noises, are owned by the churches that sponsor them, and have at least two trained handlers. They even have their own Facebook, Twitter, and email accounts!
Training starts when they're just 8 week old puppies, and takes 18 months. Not all dogs successfully complete the training.
When they're working they wear vests that identify them as comfort care dogs. The vests have pockets where they carry their business cards!
The dogs travel to whereever they're needed - natural disaster sites (Hurricaines Michael, Florence, Harvey), sites of mass shootings (Sandy Hook, Marjory Stoneman Douglass, Dallas Police Officers Shooting) and to nursing homes, first responder headquarters, schools, and other places where their presence has been requested. They have special programs with Veteran dog handlers reaching out to veterans, Police dog handlers reaching out to police, and similar outreach.
More information is available at https://www.lutheranchurchcharities.org/k-9-comfort-dogs-about.html