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A team of comfort dogs headed to the Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia to provide support after the mass shooting that happened on Wednesday, September 04.
The person who is responsible for the mass shooting, 14-year-old Colt Gray, took the lives of 2 students and 2 teachers and have left 9 other individuals hospitalized. CNN reports that Gray is charged as an adult with murder.
In the wake of the heartbreaking event, the Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) K-9 Comfort Dogs announced on September 05 that it will be sending nine comfort dog teams from six different states across the southeast to Barrow County.
The comfort dogs, together with their handlers, were deployed to Barrow County for a week, from September 07 to September 14. They have provided much needed comfort to families, survivors, and the first responders who serve them.
The team of good boys and girls, all Golden Retrievers, include:
- Peace from Orlando, Florida
- Moriah from Oviedo, Florida
- Phinehas from Fremont, Nebraska
- Job from Memphis, Tennessee
- Jemimah from Boca Raton, Florida
- Faith from Hickory, North Carolina
- Hope from Marietta, Georgia
- Seth from Seneca, South Carolina
- Zoara from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
After arriving in Barrow County, LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs shared photos of some of their comfort dogs, wearing vests that said “Please Pet Me”.
They also wrote, “Our hearts ache for the students, families, and staff affected by this heartbreaking loss. We are here to offer comfort, a listening ear, and a gentle presence in this time of deep sorrow.”
For a week, the comfort dogs have been working tirelessly, providing all the support the community needed.
The dogs have attended vigils, visited students from Apalachee High School and other Barrow County schools, and have also met with first responders at the Barrow County Fire Department.
Paul Soost, the lead volunteer for the Winder deployment of the K-9 Comfort Dogs, told WSB Radio, “Every one of the schools that we’ve gone into … the teachers have commented, with the kids, it has really helped them come back to school.”
“We can see the calming effect that the dogs have on people as we come in,” Soost added. “Sometimes people are more comfortable connecting with a dog than they are a person.”
President and CEO of Lutheran Church Charities, Rev. Chris Singer, tells WGAU Radio, “We would love to make all of this just go away. And obviously we can’t. The next best thing that we believe we can do is be here.”
“Be here with this community and to try and help provide some comfort, some support, and awareness that this community is not alone,” he adds.
After wrapping up their week at Barrow County, the LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs posted on Facebook saying, “Thank you for welcoming us into your community. Our prayers remain with you all, and may the peace of God continue to surround you in the days ahead.”
