Scores of therapy dogs have descended on Las Vegas to provide comfort to those affected by the recent mass shooting.
The shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival earlier this week left 58 people dead and 527 injured. Las Vegas Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center was overwhelmed as hundreds of concertgoers needed urgent treatment.
- Panic and chaos after Las Vegas shooting
- Las Vegas shooting: Concertgoers ran back into gunfire to save others
- Police release terrifying bodycam footage of Las Vegas shooting
- Kiwi woman speaks out about 'horrific' Las Vegas shooting
- Las Vegas shooting: Police believe Paddock 'had some help'
Following the work of first responders, came a wave of 'second responders' as the Lutheran Church Charities Comfort Dogs made their way to the hospital from across the country.
The dogs met victims of the shooting and overwhelmed hospital staff, providing them with comfort in their time of need.
The dogs are experts at handling trauma, with many having previously visited victims from other disasters such as the Sandy Hook shooting or recent Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Speaking about the effect the dogs have, Nurse Mary Layck told CBS: "It's almost like the grief just dissipated as they touched these animals.
"We're seeing such young vibrant people who've been affected in such a critical, masochistic kind of way, it's tough."
Once their job is done the dogs will return to their homes across the country and await the next time they are needed to deploy in the wake of a disaster.
Newshub
