The nation is still very much in shock following the mass shooting in Las Vegas this month. The death toll made it the worst mass shooting in modern American history.
As with any tragedy, it is very difficult to come to terms with. However, it has been deeply moving to see people across the country rally together to honor the victims and discuss a change for the future.
Between people shielding strangers from bullets, and providing door to door service for handmade crosses to honor the victims, we are reminded that people can do incredibly selfless things.
Of course, humans aren't the only ones lending a hand in this time of need; we've also seen comfort come from four-legged friends. Sometimes, the best medicine can just be attention from a dog.
According to CBS New York, golden retriever comfort dogs and their handlers from all over the country have traveled to Las Vegas to visit those who need dog cuddles the most.
The event was organized by Lutheran Church Charities, and the Goldens are being called "second responders."
Sadly, the shooting in Las Vegas took the lives of 58 concertgoers and left more than 500 others injured.
People injured during the attack are recovering in hospitals around Nevada, and lately, they've been receiving some very welcome visitors: golden retrievers.
This photo shows human and canine volunteers from the Chicago area at a hotel in Las Vegas making their rounds and offering comfort to the community.
A total of 19 trained dogs were sent down to Las Vegas to help victims get some much needed canine attention at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, according to Today.
Of course, the dogs' most important job is to visit the victims still recovering in hospitals
Here the dogs are at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas according to Twitter.
Sunrise Hospital Director, Tracy Szymanski explains that she felt a huge sense of relief when the dogs arrived, telling Today, "I felt I had help at a time when I felt helpless."
As you can see, there is no shortage of adorable Golden Retrievers waiting to be pet!
There is also no shortage of cute photos of the dogs. It's (almost) as comforting to see as it would be to actually pet them.
These particular dogs were trained by theLutheran Church Charities K-9 Unit and are known for their ability, "To bring comfort to those who mourn" – Isiah 61:2
The dog gathering also included 30 human handlers. The organization began using emotional support dogs to help victims after Hurricane Katrina according to CBS New York.
The dogs are special trained 'comfort dogs.' They have been taught how to provide gentle, selfless emotional support to people who have lived through unimaginable traumas.
Lutheran Church Charities president, Tim Hetzner says to Today, "A key part of healing in any crisis or disaster is to be able to talk about (the trauma), and people find it easier to do that with dogs."
We all know that there's nothing like a hug from a dog to fix a bad day into a good one. It's not hard to see why with a face like that.
Moreover, these specially trained dogs, "The dogs have an ability to tell when someone is suffering," making them a welcome addition to the city of Las Vegas in its time of need.
Nothing can quite fix what happened, but these dogs are doing what they can to make everyone impacted by the tragedy a little more comfortable.
According to Today, this team of dogs were flown out on Friday to go home and get some much needed rest. A new batch will have paws on the ground this week.
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If you're looking to help the victims of the Las Vegas shooting, consider these seven ways you can lend a hand.
