The partial collapse of a residential condominium building in Miami-Dade County, Florida left people in utter shock. And the impact was more so for those who were directly affected by the tragedy. As of now, the collapse already has a death toll of nine with 152 residents yet to be found.
Investigations to what caused the building to collapse had been ongoing along with a search and rescue for survivors. But no one can really tell who was still under the rubble waiting to be found. Countless families were there on-site, waiting and hoping for news that their loved ones survived the tragic event.
And during times like this, the wait can be very stressful and difficult to handle. This sense of uncertainty was just something no one would ever want to go through. So, to help with comforting the victims and the families waiting, the Boricuas de Corazon disaster relief team enlisted the help of two therapy dogs.
Meet the two, furry four-legged workers, seven-year-old Akbash named Tal and one-year-old Walker Coonhound named Molly. Over the course of the search-and-rescue operation, they had been helping families going through these troubling times by providing comfort and companionship. These therapy dogs were also trained to help people in this kind of situation deal with panic and anxiety attacks and just work out their emotions.
So far, it was effective as the families responded well to the dogs. Enjoying the companionship of therapy dogs definitely helped with their emotional turmoil. According to the President of the relief team, the feeling of empathy provided by the dogs helped them relax.
The place where the tragedy happened is still full of grief and uncertainty. And people have been holding vigils and the community comes together to support each other while awaiting news. Good thing, Tal and Molly were there to help them get through it.
Source: YouTube via Reuters