Pup with a purpose: Funeral home uses puppy to help grieving families

MACON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) - When Tori McKay entered a new decade in her life, she knew she wanted to do something significant.

At 30 years old, McKay has worked at Macon Funeral Home in Franklin, NC for over 10 years. As the office administrator, she said she works there because she’s got a tender heart for helping people.

“From hospitals, to nursing homes to the funeral home, there is such a need for natural, unconditional love, care and support,” McKay said.

But McKay isn’t just referring to herself.

The newest member of Macon Funeral Home also seems to have a knack for consolation.

Meet Mochi (pronounced "mow-chee"), a just over 8-week-old Bernese Mountain Dog with a purpose.

She loves people, loves to sleep, and if plans go accordingly, she’ll be Macon Funeral Home’s first therapy dog once she’s been fully trained.

McKay, the new companion’s owner, says Mochi already seems to have an innate sense for comforting people.

“She walked into work for the first time and immediately she was home,” McKay recalled. “Greeting everyone with affection and finding her place among us every day has been such a joy to watch.”

McKay said her goal is to both work funeral visitations with Mochi when families request her and visit nursing homes in the evenings from time to time. She said Mochi makes an ideal addition to the funeral home because of the nature of her breed.

“The Bernese Mountain Dog is a very loyal, affectionate and gentle animal, and has always been my choice for a potential grief therapy dog,” McKay described her new companion in a post on the funeral’s website. “They have a history of being excellent therapy and support dogs, which comes from their kind disposition and laid-back personalities.”

McKay said she had always wanted a Bernese Mountain Dog, but that her inspiration for raising a grief therapy dog came from someone a few years back. Melissa Unfred, a licensed mortician, owns and travels the country with her therapy dog, Kermit. In 2017, after extensive training, Kermit officially became Texas' first grief therapy dog.

Since then, a growing number of funeral homes have started adding therapy dogs as part of their staff. The Alliance of Therapy Dogs website notes why this might be:

“Therapy dogs have the innate ability to sense a person’s emotional needs and act on them with unconditional love. Since those who are grieving may experience many of these emotions, therapy dogs make the perfect companion to help ease anxiety and confusion of death.”

A recent study done by scientists at Washington State University showed that after interacting with animals, students had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone.

McKay said this research, coupled with her goal to provide support for a grieving community, is what ultimately led to Mochi’s arrival.

“I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support already and have gotten my own reassurance that this is what my decade will look like, so long as it is God’s will,” McKay said. “My two passions coming together to create something so much bigger than me and Mochi.”

Plans for Mochi’s training in Asheville are set to begin when she’s around six months to one year old. Until then, McKay said she’s training her and socializing her at the funeral home.