K-9 Comfort Dog teams make community visits after Ruidoso wildfire anniversary

After being present and encouraging the mountain town Ruidoso, New Mexico, at a Community Care Event in June, the teams for K-9 Comfort Dog Persis and K-9 Comfort Dog Elijah visited children, hospital staff, and memory care residents, bringing smiles and hope after wildfires and flooding displaced many residents in 2024.

For memory care resident Myra of Goodlife Assisted Living, the two LCC golden retrievers brought back memories of past family pets.

“Oh, I remember what our dog was like,” she said, gasping with delight and smiling broadly. “I miss the feeling of petting their fur.”

Persis and Elijah took turns with their paws in her lap as she sat in her recliner and stroked their heads and backs.

Later that morning, the dogs and their handlers stopped by the Ruidoso Boys & Girls Club, delivering LCC K-9 coloring books and K-9 business cards. Students at the club took turns in small groups cuddling with Persis and Elijah and talking about how calm the dogs were during the visit.

The students eagerly lined up for a group photo with the dogs to remember the special treat of seeing them almost a year ago.

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That afternoon, across town at the Lincoln County Medical Center, hospital staffers were eager to having wagging tails and wet noses become a surprise in their day.

With handlers Steve and Roxy Hurry of Christ the Redeemer Lutheran in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Lynette Lackey and Joanne Kurtz of Our Redeemer Lutheran in Wichita Falls, Texas, the dogs made their own rounds that afternoon, visiting the ER and Oncology departments while saying hello to patients and family members lounging in the waiting room.

“We were honored to come back and be here,” said Steve Hurry. “Ruidoso has been through so much over the last 12 months. The dogs have helped start conversations and open up people who are closed off or have bottled up emotions.”

The Hurrys will return to the community again in early July for Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church’s Camp Courage Vacation Bible School.