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Kentucky team brings comfort dog to Dayton following mass shooting

Posted at 11:59 AM, Aug 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-13 11:59:08-04

(LEX 18) — A Kentucky team is returning home from Dayton, Ohio after trying to bring comfort to a community in mourning.

Lutheran Church Charities brought six-year-old Mercy, a golden retriever, with more than 2,000 hours of training to aid the team as a comfort dog.

Mercy worked between 20 and 30 hours each week in Louisville, but was requested to visit a church in Dayton following the recent mass shooting.

"It is sobering as a person to go up and it is somewhat intimidating because you're an outsider going into an area where people have been so personally affected. But, we find people are very appreciative for us coming," said Dough Netherton, who works with Top Dog, LCC Canine Comfort Dogs.

Mercy was one of the seven comfort dogs in Dayton.

This same team also offered comfort to students at Marshall County High School.

The team said that they only go where they are invited and they never charge for their service.