A set of dogs, trained as comfort dogs, have hit the streets of Boston in the wake of the Marathon Bombings. Comfort dogs are not a new idea:
Debbie Custance, a London psychologist who’s studied the empathy of dogs, explained to National Geographic that during times of crisis, interactions with humans involve “expectations and judgments,” but interactions with dogs are refreshingly simple.
“[It’s] a very uncomplicated, non-challenging interaction with no consequences,” she said. “And if you’ve been through a hard time, it’s lovely to have that.”
Maggie, Addie, Luther, Ruthie, and Isaiah are all part of the K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs, trained at a Lutheran Church in Chicago. They have been a part of other tragedies across the nation:
All five of the dogs spent time in Newtown, Connecticut, last December. Two of them even stuck around permanently, becoming five-days-a-week employees at the relocated Sandy Hook Elementary School. Newtown was the dogs’ first high-profile event, but earlier this month they also went to Wadsworth, Illinois, where a school bus carrying 30 children tipped over (None of the children were seriously harmed).
I don’t know about you, but my pets have always been my respite in hard times. They’ve heard and known everything about my successes and struggles in life, and it just seems that animals have more of a sense of when something it wrong than some people!
Written by Georgianna Dolan-Reilly, LMSW
SJS Staff Writer
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This is so encouraging to hear, thank you for sharing. My dog Charley (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever) has been working with kids in our local New Jersey Elementary School. I’ve seen the powerful effect that therapy dogs can have on kids first hand. (http://blog.froehlichfinancial.com/community-service/therapy-dogs-like-charley-help-kids-learn-to-read-and-can-bring-families-together/)
Thank you for the Comment Tom. The work you and Charley are doing with kids sounds wonderful! Our connection with animals is truly an under acknowledged area, there is so much that we get from those bonds!
Dear Friends, I am not feeling comfortable with this concept of Comfort Dogs. A human being must learn to accept and understand another human being. There is no escape from this. Dogs have been with us for a long time and they are very good pets. However, they cannot substitute a human being. So much time, love and affection is showed and showered upon a dog. Whereas, if the same time, love and affection is conveyed to another human being then we shall have a healthy community life. I am not against dogs or cats. I have plenty of them and my kids play with them a lot. But for your emotional or psychological needs please put your trust in the human kind. Debbie Custance (a psychologist) says “[It’s] a very uncomplicated, non-challenging interaction with no consequences,”. “And if you’ve been through a hard time, it’s lovely to have that.” I beg to differ. Complications, Challenges with any type of consequences are some of the essential elements of a fruitful life. These together with Hard times enrich your life. They make you a better person. Comfort Dog concept is alarming. We can have facebook but please no comfort dogs.
Thank you.
Peter, I think you make a valid point about the need to enhance human connection. However, I feel at times, especially in cases of abuse/domestic violence/terrorist attacks your faith in humans vanishes for awhile, and in order to get it back comfort animals, or any animals can play a major role.