Back

Funeral homes increasingly using dogs to comfort mourners

Published: June 14, 2015
by Ballard-Blog

JUNE 14, 2015 – Featured in the Chicago Tribune Online

“Sandy Del Duca was mourning the death of her father when Lulu, a curly haired goldendoodle, came bounding down the stairs at the Ballard-Durand funeral home.

Del Duca thought Lulu was simply the pet of funeral home owner Matthew Fiorillo, who she was meeting to make arrangements. But the dog also works there - one of an increasing number of dogs being offered by American funeral homes to comfort mourners.

It didn’t take long for Del Duca to be won over.

“That dog looked into my eyes and I was done,” Del Duca said. “She seemed to know just what I needed. A funeral is a funeral, it’s not a great thing. But that dog gave the service a family atmosphere and made it more of a celebration.”‘

Read the story by following this link

Ballard-Durand Funeral & Cremation Services has been serving the families of White Plains and surrounding communities for over 100 years. The funeral home offers both burial and cremation services at their locations in White Plains, Elmsford, and Beacon, New York. Ballard-Durand is committed to serving families with personal attention, competitive pricing, quality merchandise, and premier facilities. For more information, please visit our website ballarddurand.com.