Funeral homes increasingly using dogs to comfort mourners
June 14, 2015
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.”‘
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