雅思阅读精选：“狗医生”为受惊学生提供心理治疗_雅思英语阅读

雅思阅读精选：“狗医生”为受惊学生提供心理治疗

　　The dogs are therapy dogsprofessional comforters that were brought to Newtown, Connecticut, almost immediately after the horrific shootings on December 14 that left 20 young children and 6 staff members dead.

　　Tim Hetzner, leader of the Lutheran Church Charities K9 Comfort Dogsteam, traveled to Newtown with nine specially trained golden retrievers and their volunteer handlers from the Addison, Illinois-based group.

　　Using a local Lutheran church as their base, the K9 teams have spent the past few days visiting schools, churches, activity centers, and private homes in the community. They only go where theyre invited and are careful to let people approach the dogs instead of vice versa, in case anyone is afraid of or allergic to the animals.

　　Counselors With Fur

　　The response to the dogs has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Hetzner.

　　A lot of times, kids talk directly to the dog, he said. Theyre kind of like counselors with fur. They have excellent listening skills, and they demonstrate unconditional love. They dont judge you or talk back.

　　The dogs are also used to reassure victims of natural disastersmost recently, Superstorm Sandyand to brighten the days of nursing home patients. Hetzner said he got the idea after seeing how well students responded to therapy dogs in the wake of a 2008 school shooting at Northern Illinois University. Now, in addition to the core of 15 that make up LCCs K9 Comfort Dogs team, the group has deployed about 20 other dogs to be based in schools and churches that apply for them.