# Warm 'n fuzzy dog tale from Connecticut.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warm-n-fuzzy-dog-tale-from-connecticut/645762>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 1, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warm-n-fuzzy-dog-tale-from-connecticut/645762 "2013-01-01T18:02:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warm-n-fuzzy-dog-tale-from-connecticut/645762/1 "2013-01-01T18:02:20Z")

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In the aftermath of the school shooting in Connecticut, a group of nine specially trained golden retrievers were brought in to help survivors deal with their trauma from that horrible day.

> [@](#):
>
> One boy confided in the gentle-faced golden  
> retriever about exactly what happened in his  
> classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School  
> that day—which his parents said was more than  
> he’d been able to share with them. A little girl  
> who hadn’t spoken since the shootings finally started talking to her mother again after petting  
> one of the “comfort dogs.” Groups of teenagers  
> began to open up and discuss their fear and  
> grief with each other as they sat on the floor  
> together, all stroking the same animal.

What a wonderful story! I know first hand that my dog can de-stress me when I’m feeling down. And I know it’s not just dogs that can bring comfort to people. I know that the cat Dopers on the board will attest that their pets also bring great comfort. I think almost everyone will agree that their pets bring them great joy and that animals can provide services other than the grim ones they are also called upon to provide such as search and rescue. It’s a positive experience for the kids and the dogs. This got my new year off to a great start.

> **[National Geographic](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/)**
>
> Explore National Geographic. A world leader in geography, cartography and exploration.

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**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/warm-n-fuzzy-dog-tale-from-connecticut/645762/2 "2013-01-01T19:20:52Z")

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That’s a good story. Pets are great comforters, I know my cats are. We’ve had two office dogs at work the past year and it’s really amazing how much less stressful the entire workplace can be with them there. They didn’t come for that reason - one came because the boss wanted her potty-trained faster (puppy) and the other came because she started needing shots twice a day for her diabetes, both have remained there because everyone likes them there. Pets are good. 🙂