After tragedies or life-changing events people often times feel lost and alone and are looking for comfort. It is often times hard to comfort someone who has been through so much as words can only help so much. One possible way to bring comfort to a victim is to bring them a dog. Dogs can offer many benefits to victims and can get them through hard times. Read more below to find out more about a dog’s comfort.
During a tragedy a dog may be the only one to bring comfort
Petting a dog can offer a victim or survivor physical comfort at a time when it is much needed. Many do not want a human touch.
In 2018, mass shootings, floods, fires, suicides among our youth and other disasters have been in the news on a daily basis. That’s where we come in.
Petting a dog can offer that victim or survivor physical comfort at a time when it is much needed. Many do not want a human touch, but the touch of a highly-trained crisis dog helps decrease heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. In our experience — and in studies it is shown — the dogs were more effective than other strategies in offering nurturance and decreasing anxiety.
On June 26, 2012, the day of my late son David’s birthday, I was at home watching the news and the fires ofWaldo Canyon Fire started in Colorado Springs around 5 miles from my home. We were not in the evacuation area, but I was feeling down, thinking of my son in heaven that day. Then, I had a warm feeling come over me and heard David telling me to take the pups and my son Ryan to the evacuation areas. I did not want to go. But the feeling became stronger, so I went to local hotels with our therapy dogs. The feeling of watching these families interact with Tabor and Snickers, was heartwarming. Watching them smile, during this time.
We were asked to go to a staging point where the firefighters and first responders were staying. One of the firefighters asked if he could borrow my dog. I went with him as Tabor crawled inside the “puptent” with the firefighter and slept with him as I sat outside. This firefighter was used to sleeping with his dog at home. He was here fighting the fires and helping save our city, from another state. He asked me what “team” I was with. I wasn’t with any certain team and I said I was with “The GO Team.” That was the start of our journey.
We started with just Tabor, Snickers and my son
I saw the need for well-trained handler dog teams to help in communities affected by tragedy. We started the team with Tabor, Snickers, my 15-year-old son and myself. I contacted some people on how to start a nonprofit. I wanted to take this team to the next level.
Read more on USA Today
Knugroup is a Pet Nutraceutical Company Started by V.M.D Dr. Richard Baird, a practicing veterinarian in Uniontown Pennsylvania with over 40 years of experience. For more information Click here
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