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All About Pet Therapy and Funeral Homes

Colonial Chapel Funeral Home & Crematory • Feb 18, 2020

What is pet therapy, and where did it come from? Read on to learn more about this trend that is becoming popular in funeral homes all around Orland Park, IL and beyond.

Sometimes called animal assisted therapy or AAT, pet therapy is when a trained animal interacts with a human with a specific mood or cognitive goal in mind. Pet therapy has been used in schools, hospitals, care homes and universities all around the world. But now, many funeral directors are choosing to implement pet therapy programs in funeral homes in Orland Park, IL and the rest of the country.

Pet therapy was designed to help people deal with a range of different stressors including loss and grief through the comfort of animals. The animals, most often dogs, cats, lambs, and even sometimes Shetland ponies, are thoroughly trained and are usually accompanied by a handler. These therapy animals are chosen for their positions based on friendly and calm personalities as well as comfort interacting with strangers.

The first pet therapy programs began popping up in the 1980s. These early programs involved volunteers bringing their pets to schools, hospitals and care homes for interaction with children and patients. There are pet therapy programs all around the world now, but it’s been only recent that funeral directors have begun using pet therapy in their funeral homes to help patrons deal with grief and loss.

Grief therapy dogs are pet therapy animals that are specifically trained to comfort bereaved in times of loss and grief. These helpful and adorable canines only started serving bereaved in the United States in the last few years.

Pet therapy grief dogs are usually owned by the funeral director and are brought to funerals and memorial services when requested by the bereaved. There are also new businesses and volunteer programs in which services will bring dogs to funerals when requested. A grief therapy dog’s main job is to be a calming presence at the funeral. They are especially helpful in calming and distracting children that may not have ever been to a funeral before or may be afraid of the proceedings. Grief therapy dogs can also support the bereaved through hugs, snuggles and even calming walks.

If you are considering having a grief pet at a funeral, think about the guests. If there are many attendees that would be distressed by a dog, it’s not an appropriate choice. However, if many guests would be helped by the dog, it is a worthwhile investment. If you are considering having a pet therapy animal, like a dog, at a funeral there are a few things you need to keep in mind, the most important being that grief therapy pets are only allowed to attend funerals when specifically requested. There are always signs posted when a dog is in attendance at a service to warn guests that might have allergies or might be afraid of dogs.

Want more information about pet therapy or about your options for Orland Park, IL funeral homes? Please reach out to Colonial Chapel Funeral Home & Crematory by visiting 15525 S 73rd Ave Orland Park, IL 60462 or calling (708) 532-5400.

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