O’Shea is a Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever cross and she is a graduate of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). She has been specially trained to assist adults and/or children with disabilities. She knows over 42 commands and she can retrieve dropped items on the floor, turn light switches on and off, and open and close doors and drawers. She was specially matched by the trainers of CCI to Robin Miller, and to work as a facility dog for Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc. in Butler, PA.
Many ask, “What does O’Shea do at the funeral home?” O’Shea has a very important job as our “Grief Companion Dog”! She offers empathy and comfort to friends and relatives who have gathered at Thompson-Miller Funeral Home to say goodbye to a loved one. Her calm presence just seems to make people who are sad a little less sad…their stress of overwhelming grief is lessened. O’Shea brings smiles in a circumstance where they're pretty rare and also seems to prompt folks to extract themselves from their grief for a few minutes and share tales of family pets they have known and loved.
During visitation hours, O’Shea carries a basket of individually wrapped mints in her mouth and offers them to those who would like to have one. As she walks in the room, the energy immediately changes from one of deep sorrow to a sigh of relief and the people’s faces change into sweet smiles.
She lies on people’s feet to comfort them during the funeral service. A widow who was experiencing her husband’s funeral said, “I could not stop shaking and once O’Shea laid her head on my feet, my whole body began to feel warm and comforted and my soul became quieted. She gave me hope that I was going to be ok”.
O'Shea consoles people of ALL ages! When babies and children begin to cause commotion and/or cry, O’Shea approaches them and their emotions change into one of inquiry. She, then, helps the time go by for the children and shows them her “tricks”, which are turning light switches on and off, opening and closing drawers and doors, picking things up off the floor herself, such as keys, a cell phone or maybe one of their toys the children brought with them and even shaking their hands!
One day there were some teenagers who arrived to visit their grandfather who had died. This was their first experience in a funeral home. They had fears and did not want to enter. O’Shea, with Robin, went outside and spent some time talking to them. The teens learned much about O’Shea by asking questions about where she came from and what she does at the funeral home. After some time went by, they wanted to see O’Shea turn the light switch on. Everyone decided to go into the funeral home and witness this command to see how she could do this unbelievable task! As they walked in, it was not frightening because O’Shea was their friend now and it was okay! She turned the light switch on, they all cheered and clapped and gave O’Shea a hug and left to join the rest of their family in the visitation room.
In a grief support group, O’Shea also shares her unconditional love. The participants gather in a circle of comfortable chairs and talk about their pain and gain support from each other. O’Shea offers grief therapy by allowing people to cry and tell her anything they want to share and pet her soft fur! She accepts attention by ALL!!
What does O’Shea do? She provides a welcome change in the atmosphere of a funeral home, she helps to relieve loneliness and depression, she facilitates conversation and interaction, she stimulate minds, lift spirits and spark memories and she creates fun!In conclusion, O’Shea helps to lighten a mournful atmosphere while bringing peace to individuals during an upsetting time. She provides solace to hurting family members while the effects of stroking the fur of a serene dog can be incredibly comforting.
