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SLIDESHOW: K-9 Comfort dogs help with healing in Newtown, Conn.
The dogs and their handlers arrived the day after the tragedy and remain at Sandy Hook still.
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Amidst the paralyzing grief following the Newtown, Conn., elementary school shooting, a team of golden retrievers is on site to comfort, be present and listen.
K-9 Comfort Dog, Addie, sits with children in Newtown, Conn. The team was used during grief counseling sessions and to ease the tension and anxiety many felt after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary Dec. 14, 2012, that left 20 children and six of the school's teachers, administrators and counselors dead.
Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort dogs and their handlers stand in the middle of the Newtown High School gymnasium for a school assembly the morning students returned to school after the shootings. The team arrived the day after the tragedy and remain now months after at the request of the community and school district.
Newtown High School counselor Deidre Croce wraps her arms around comfort dog-in-training, Isaiah, who was brought as a treat to those who visited the dogs. Croce jumped at the chance to have the dogs present during the community's grieving process.
Addie with a student in Newtown.
Comfort dogs Luther, Addie, Ruthie and Isaiah before a comfort session at Sandy Hook Elementary.
Addie with a student at Fraser Woods Elementary in Newtown, Conn.
Newtown High School counselor Deidre Croce with the comfort dogs.
Comfort dogs and their handlers at Newtown High School.
The K-9 Comfort team visits the Newtown Vounteer Task Force.
Addie sits outside Sandy Hook Elementary. Although the dogs only stop by the high school and other schools periodicially now, they maintian their daily post at Sandy Hook.
To learn more about the K-9 Comfort or to "meet" the dogs, go to
lutheranchurchcharities.org
.