Northbrook Church Group Sends Comfort Dogs to Orlando

Northbrook, IL—A Northbrook-based religious nonprofit group has sent comfort dogs to help the Orlando community in the aftermath of this weekend's mass shooting at a gay nightclub.

The Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs organization was invited by the Rev. Gregory S. Walton, president of the Florida-Georgia District of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, to work with the city's Trinity Lutheran Church and the LGBT community that surrounds the congregation, according to a note on LCC's website posted by Tim Hetzner, the group's president.

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"We will be working in the hospitals with those who were injured and will also be working with all the First Responders," Hetzner wrote in his message. "Please consider the heartbreak, chaos and overwhelming grief that this community, the victims, their families, and the First Responders are going through because of this horrific incident."

As of Monday, June 13, the LCC sent 19 volunteers and 11 of the group's K-9 comfort dogs from seven states, including Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. 

People wishing to help LCC with their volunteer work can donate to the organization on its website. The group does not charge for its services and accepts financial help to cover transportation and lodging costs.

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