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Meet Monroe, a grief therapy dog helping Centre County families through the funeral process

Centre Daily Times - 8/25/2022

Aug. 25—COLLEGE TOWNSHIP — Koch Funeral Home is hosting a party for the newest member of its team, a grief therapy dog named Monroe. The 11-year-old Australian Shepard is part of a complimentary program now offered by the funeral home to help provide support to those who are grieving.

Families can request that Monroe be present for any visitations or services. Therapy dogs have been found to lower feelings of anxiety, depression and stress, according to a study from Johns Hopkins University.

For the Koch Funeral Home, services are not only about closure but about starting the beginning of a new life without your loved one. Monroe can help people through the service and grieving process, funeral director Glenn Fleming said.

"You can imagine how anxious people are to come through our doors," Fleming said. "Hopefully she helps them through some of that."

Koch Funeral Home will be hosting an event for the community to meet Monroe from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Friday. The event coincides with International Dog Day, and guests can learn about Monroe and the benefits she provides.

Koch Funeral Home has been waiting two years to start this program, having made contact with Monroe's handler, Karen Keller, shortly before the pandemic put a halt to the idea. Koch Funeral Home and Keller have been waiting to put the program into action since.

The home had requests for Monroe since the start of the pandemic but has only been able to officially launch the program now. Spiritual director Jackie Naginey Hook said that several people saw information about Monroe on the website and requested her.

"I can remember a large family, and dogs were really important to the person that died, and so they asked for Monroe but it was right during COVID," Hook said.

Although Monroe has yet to attend any gatherings at the home, she has been used for a group therapy session the funeral home sponsors.

"We all sat in a circle and I got her out and introduced her," Keller said. "She went from person to person to person to stand in front of them and if they want to acknowledge her, fine, if not, she'll go on to the next person."

Monroe is a certified therapy dog, which takes years of training followed by an intensive test of the dog's focus and abilities, Keller said. Therapy dogs must have "sound temperament" and are comfortable around mobility devices like walkers, canes or wheelchairs, according to the Therapy Dog International website.

Not every dog can be a therapy dog, it requires a very calm demeanor and sense for those who need comfort. Even some of Monroe's own pups don't have the disposition for therapy, Keller said.

For more information on Friday's event to meet Monroe, visit www.kochfuneralhome.com.

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