Exploring the Benefits of Therapy Animals for Grief and Funeral Planning

By: Lauren Griffith

Many people find solace and comfort in leaning on pets for emotional support when experiencing the stages of grief.

When it comes to relying on a pet for emotional support, there are many ways that people can find comfort through the presence of a furry friend.

Many people turn to animals for comfort in a time of need. This could be an emotional support animal or an animal that undergoes training to become certified, like a therapy dog.

Sometimes, one of the most helpful sources of comfort when experiencing the grief that comes along with losing a loved one is just having someone there to keep you company without expecting anything in return. Pets do just that.

Todd Griffin, managing director of the Stuhr Funeral Home West Ashley Chapel, says, “Pets of all kinds, dogs in particular, are a great resource for individuals experiencing grief through losing a loved one. Pets tend to provide a steadfast love and support element that can allow a person in the grief stages to express themselves and experience the ups and downs in a non-judgmental way.”

Pets can also provide strong emotional support while planning a funeral for a lost loved one. Therapy dogs, in particular, are trained for this purpose. Stuhr Funeral Home uses a therapy dog for its initial funeral consultation to provide some emotional relief when it is absolutely necessary.

According to a recent study by the National Funeral Directors Association, close to 60% of those surveyed would welcome a therapy dog at the initial funeral arrangement conference.

There is specific training that a therapy dog undergoes, in addition to evaluation to determine if the dog’s disposition is a fit for the specific type of therapy.

According to Griffin, “Stuhr Funeral Home currently offers a therapy dog at the arrangement conference for families who feel they would benefit from the presence of one. While this does not extend to actual funeral services, it can provide comfort to those who are in the early stages of grief while planning a service.”

From the time a client family walks through the door of Stuhr Funeral Home and is greeted by a therapy dog, the staff can see a sense of relief and familiarity wash over them. Whether the dog reminds them of their own pets at home or provides some sort of distraction from the situation at hand, it eases the initial meeting.

“Most of the time the client family will simply pet the dog while her chin rests on their lap. I have also seen an explosion from a family dynamic be calmed as the dog moves in to provide some distraction. Our therapy dog has a certain type of sound that she makes when tension becomes high. This often gets the attention of the family members, so their focus returns back to the dog,” says Griffin.

Both support animals and therapy dogs have their place in providing for the emotional needs of those experiencing grief. A therapy dog is trained to focus on client families, even though they would be unfamiliar to the dog. The importance of a therapy dog in the funeral home environment is to provide some distraction during a time that is often extremely difficult and stressful for the client’s family.

“As we see daily, we may not be comfortable engaging with strangers, however, we will quickly engage with the stranger’s dog,” explains Griffin. “This would be the same at the funeral home.”

On most occasions, an initial funeral consultation is the first time the client family will be making these types of arrangements, so having some common ground, a welcomed distraction, and a dog with the sole focus of their attention on the client family provides each person with their own level of comfort as they navigate difficult and challenging decisions during their time of loss.

Stuhr Funeral Home, a trusted name in funeral service for more than 150 years, cares for families of those whose lives have ended. Stuhr Funeral Home is committed to providing quality arrangements to honor loved ones and family traditions. For more information about available funeral services, visit JHenryStuhr.com or call (843) 723-2524.