Florida school shooting survivors are welcomed back to class by therapy dogs

Survivors of the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 17 pupils and staff at a Florida high school on February 14 have returned to class for the first time.
 
While their healing process has only just begun, the students’ first days back were made slightly less daunting by the presence of therapy dogs.

“To say you could ‘feel’ the heaviness and deep sorrow every single person there was experiencing was an understatement,” the agency wrote on Instagram. 
 
“We met with Principal Thompson who hugged us and couldn't thank us enough for bringing our therapy dogs out to the school. 

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“Every person we met with, talked to, hugged, cried with, laughed with showed such strength, courage and bravery.”
 
The group was also present two days later when students, parents, siblings and staff members gathered at the school to retrieve belongings and discuss details of the resumption of classes.

Therapy dogs, also known as comfort dogs, are trained to provide affection and love for people in the wake of traumatic experiences like shootings and natural disasters, as well as people in hospitals, retirement homes and nursing homes.