Posted on triblocal.com January 4, 2010 and printed in the Chicago Tribune January 7, 2010

Our thanks to the TribLocal Palatine for the great story on the
K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs, but we do have one correction: the
K-9 Parish Comfort Dogs at Lutheran Church Charities are certified service dogs.

Working like a dog: canines bring comfort
Michelle Stoffel/Triblocal.com staff reporter 01/04/10 11:08 AM

A new class of working dog has been popping up around the northwest Chicago suburbs. But instead of sniffing out criminals for the police or acting as eyes for the blind, these dogs are helping others by simply doing what they do best—being pet.

Comfort dogs, though not legally service dogs, are now showing up at schools, in libraries and churches throughout the northwest suburbs. They provide comfort to mourners at funerals or a judgment-free reading companion for shy children.