VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — It’s not just local chaplains and crisis teams consoling the community at this hard time.
The therapy dogs with the local chapter of Therapy Dogs International have been very busy.
Group leader, Jean Nohle says she had to get her dog groomed after Friday night because his fur was so matted from people crying on him.
“The Red Cross called me about 7:30 p.m Friday night and asked me to get dogs at the municipal center and the operations center,” said Nohle.
There’s about 50 of them working around the clock to lend a paw to those in need.
“It’s amazing during this sad time it brings warmth and happiness just to be able to look at them and pet them,” said Virginia Beach city worker, Shermia Mcduffie.
The dogs were made for difficult times like these.
“We had the opportunity of going to some very rigorous training with the fire department and we thought why are we doing this? We aren’t going to need it and here we are,” explained Nohle.
Handler Jacqui Carrington says there’s one interaction she’ll never forget with a woman who was inside Building 2 at the time of the shooting.
“She went into very detailed information about watching four of her associates get killed right in front of her and I told her we have a chaplain over here she said ‘no I want to talk to the dog’ and sat on the floor and told the dog everything,” Carrington recalled.
Carrington says moments like that remind her how important their work is.
“It was very emotional and hard on me to listen to her and when she was done she said ‘thank you I feel better I just lost it,’” she said.
The dogs are on call for the next two to three months.
Nohle says if you have a certified therapy dog and want to help, don’t hesitate to reach out.