Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities. From the Pulse nightclub shooting, Orlando, Florida.

Sometimes, it is the silent, gentle presence of a dog – accepting, non-judgmental, simply sitting next to someone,  offering its fur to be touched, that allows a few precious moments of relaxation and relief to someone who is experiencing, anxiety, shock or unthinkable trauma. Not to diminish at all the efforts and value provided by other people, the first responders, authorities, counselors and volunteers that help the people directly affected during times of crisis or disaster – but often it is a comfort dog at the scene, that may be able to reach and get through to the place in a person’s heart where emotions are blocked and words are not possible yet.

On this week’s episode of the Raising Your Paws podcast, you’ll hear about a very special organization, Lutheran Church Charities, and their K-9 Dog Ministry Comfort Dogs. This is a unique group of highly trained Golden Retrievers and handlers that deploy all over the country to lend their boots and paws to the aid of people everywhere, that are in need and suffering. Now, listen to the stories of Tim Hetzner, President and CEO of Lutheran Church Charities (LCC),  and Richard Martin, who is the Director of Deployment, about their experiences when they reported to the towns where mass shootings occurred and how their comfort dogs helped.

Here are some photos of the Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs.

LCC Sandy Hook K-9 Comfort Dogs Deployment Team.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

Maggie, one of the K-9 comfort dogs stationed at Sandy Hook.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

LCC – K-9 Comfort Dogs with a counselor at Sandy Hook Elementary following the shooting. She is holding the puppy, Isiah, that accompanied the group of dogs. 
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

Leah, with a child. Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

LCC K-9 Ministry deployment at Henry Pratt Shooting, Aurora, IL. The man to the far right is Richard Martin, Director of Deployment, the other guest on the show.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

LAdeena and a firefigher. The K-9 Comfort dogs also help the first responders.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

LCC also has comfort dogs for the military.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

One of the K-9 comfort dogs with a National Guardsman. Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

LCC Comfort Dog, Katie with Child.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

K-9 Cubby, offering comfort. Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

Full Show Notes For Episode 59

Title: When Your Cat Pees in Unwanted Places & Golden Retrievers that bring Comfort during Disasters.

Are you having problems with your cat, not using the litter box, but instead peeing in places you’d never expect? In this episode I’ll talk about when cats choose house plants as their litter box, offer an explanation for why this might happen and tell you what to do about it. Next time, we’ll cover when cats begin peeing in your bed.

You may have heard of therapy dogs who visit patients in hospitals and clinics. Today, you’re going to hear about a special group of golden retrievers, who bring comfort to those suffering the aftermaths of mass shootings and other disasters. You’ll hear how, Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Ministry’s comfort dogs, along with their handlers, travel all over the United States–being deployed in times of crisis to bring comfort to all those affected. My guests today are Tim Hetzner, the president and CEO of the organization who started the K-9 ministry and Richard Martin, the director of the K-9 deployments.

Does your dog attempt to eat parts of dead animals it finds outdoors or even grab mouthfuls of dirt at times? When dogs eat what we consider to be disgusting, no doubt you probably pull your dog away, thinking it’s not only gross, but will cause your dog to get deathly ill from consuming such a germ infested thing. In reality, your dog’s body is equipped to handle consuming a lot of bacteria and germy things much more than you are. I’ll explain how.

Additional Resources for the show.

Amazon link to many brands of Sticky Paws Tape – most are advertised for furniture, however you can fashion strips to make a crisscross pattern on the top of the planter.

Lutheran Church Charities (LCC) Website.
www.LutheranChurchCharities.org

Tim Hetzner, President and CEO of Lutheran Church Charities.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

Richard Martin, Director of Deployment at Lutheran Church Charities.
Photo Permission and Credit: Lutheran Church Charities.

LCC’s K-9 Comfort Dogs website:
www.K9Comfort.org

LCC’s Kare-9 Military Comfort Dogs website:
www.Kare9.org

LCC’s K-9 Police Comfort Dogs.
www.K9Blue.org

Lutheran Church Charities and the K-9 Comfort Dogs on Facebook:

LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs

Lutheran Church Charities:@LutheranChurchCharities

Find the K-9 Comfort Dogs on Instagram:

Comfort Dogs: @comfortdogs

Lutheran Church Charities: @lccharities

Find the K-9 Comfort Dogs on Twitter:

Comfort Dogs: @K9ComfortDogs

Lutheran Church Charities: @LCCharities

Source for the story about dog’s ability to eat carrion – “See Spot Live Longer” by Steve Brown and Beth Taylor.

Write and tell us the pet problems you’d like solved on the Raising Your Paws Podcast and participate in a free children’s book promotion

You can receive a free copy of the children’s book, “Adventures with Tuffy” Written by Sue Sailer and Illustrated by Troy Becker. This book was the idea of Charlie Nelson, the CEO and president of the family owned company, NutriSource Pet Foods. Tuffy was the name of his grandfather and is also the name of the family’s pet food plant.

To participate, please write me at susan@raisingyourpaws.com, with your detailed comments about the Raising Your Paws podcast. We would like to know what some of the problems you are having raising your pets that you’d like to hear addressed on the show. I’ll select 10 of the first people to write and send them a free book. Good Luck. The book is also sold in many of the stores where you find NutriSource pet food.