On May 31, Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, welcomed the newest comfort dog to the NOW District. Fisher was commissioned during a special service that day, making her our third Lutheran Church Charities comfort dog – and a fourth is on the way at Friendship Celebration in Meridian, Idaho (assisted by a 2026 Catalyst Grant!) The following is an account from one of Fisher’s handlers, Miriam Deuel, on the very real and very powerful impact this ministry provides. And be sure to read to the end for info about how to request a comfort dog visit.
A year ago, I was sitting at a vacation rental on the Oregon coast with my husband, Pastor Dan Deuel, when my phone lit up with text messages from family and friends. Had I heard the news? I sat in horror as details rolled in from various sources. The Coeur d’Alene community had been rocked by a tragedy the likes of which we rarely see here. A very sick man went up onto Canfield Mountain, set a fire, and when firemen responded, this man shot and killed Battalion Chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison, and critically wounded Engineer David Tysdal. It was a deadly trap.
Only a few days later, I stood on Sherman Avenue as the procession for our fallen heroes passed by a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. There were thousands of men, women, and children on that street, and as the long procession of first responder vehicles neared us, the crowd went completely silent. You could hear a pin drop. Not even the children or babies made a sound. I was overwhelmed by the community’s outpouring of grief for this tragic loss, but also the respect that they showed our lost heroes and their families and peers. It was one of the most moving things I’ve ever seen. But looking around at the pain in our community members’ faces, one thought raced through my mind over and over. “This is our ‘why.’”
Our “why” is the mission to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ with those who are suffering. Our “how” is Fisher Comfort Dog, a Lutheran Church Charities-trained comfort dog who made her way into our church just two months ago (thanks to help from a 2024 NOW District Catalyst Grant). Unfortunately, our two-year process to get Fisher was far from complete when we lost our firefighters, and so Fisher wasn’t available in that tragedy. But she is here now, and we trust that God will use Team Fisher to help share the Gospel with those in our community who are hurting.
You may be wondering, “What good is a dog in a tragedy like this?” Well, let me tell you. Fisher wasn’t there that day on Sherman Avenue to welcome home our fallen heroes, but Isaac Comfort Dog was (from Redeemer Lutheran in Spokane Valley, Washington). I joined Isaac’s team in 2023 when we moved from Stockton, California, to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I had been on Team Rahab in Stockton and had firsthand experience in this ministry, so when we moved, I knew that the 40-minute drive to Spokane Valley was a small price to pay to continue until we could get our own comfort dog at Christ the King. We brought Isaac down to the firemen’s procession in hopes that he would be the bridge that would allow us to bring the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus to the suffering. Here is an example of how I approached a perfect stranger on the street that day:
Me: “Hi there! This is Isaac Comfort Dog and we are just visiting folks to bring a little comfort on a hard day. Would you like to pet him for a few minutes?”
Stranger: “Sure! I love golden retrievers!”
Me after a few minutes and some small talk: “How are you today?”
Stranger: “Not great, to be honest. This is so scary for me. My husband is a firefighter and knew Frank and John. I keep thinking ‘What if this were him?’ I’m grateful it was not, but I feel guilty being thankful when their families are hurting so much. And my kids are scared that this will happen to their dad, and I’m not entirely sure how to ease their fears. It’s like, we already had the danger of the job to worry about, and now this?”
Me: “That sounds really hard. I can hear the pain in your voice. What do you do when things feel really heavy like this?”
Stranger: “Well, I know I have to be strong and positive for my kids, but sometimes I just want to hide in my room and cry.”
Me: “That’s fair. It’s really easy to get overwhelmed when evil seems to have won. When I’m in a position like this, it’s helpful for me to remember that though Satan might have won this battle, I know who wins the war, and that is Jesus. This helps me realize that while bad things might happen, I know that God is ultimately in control and He will work all things for good for those who trust him. Is faith in God a part of your life at all?”
Stranger: “It is, actually. We attend a local church. But I don’t even know what to pray for right now.”
Me: “That’s understandable. When I don’t know what to pray for, I just call out to him. Sometimes all I can get out is his name, but that’s enough. The Word of God says if we call out to Him, he hears our unspoken prayers. He doesn’t need our eloquent words. He just needs our love and trust.”
Stranger: “It’s nice to be reminded of that.”
Me: “Can I pray for you? I can do it now or on my own privately at home.”
Stranger: “I’d love that. Now is good!”
Me: “Ok! Father, we come to you with broken hearts…”
In what other world would I have been allowed to approach a stranger in emotional distress and within a few minutes have gained their trust enough to share the Gospel with them in their suffering? That is the beauty of this ministry.
We are so grateful to Fisher for being this bridge for us; but it’s not just about the dog. We have a team of 20-plus people who trained for two years, fundraised, and who have dedicated hours every week to getting Fisher out into our community to serve our veterans, military, first responders, schools, the sick and dying, the lonely, and the suffering. Team Fisher is already making an impact in our community at places like the Boys and Girls Club, a local medical rehab facility, Veterans’ Court, and more! We are ready to respond to crises in our community and region with the mercy of Jesus.
A full-circle moment came on Monday, June 29. Our community hosted a one-year memorial for our lost firefighters, Frank and John. And guess who was there this time? Team Isaac AND Team Fisher! We had the most wonderful interactions with the family, friends, and coworkers of our lost heroes, as well as community members who wished to honor them. Sharing compassion with the hurting, we were on hand to show the love of Jesus on an emotional day. It’s our sincerest hope that everyone felt seen, valued, and comforted by our presence that morning.
Requesting a Comfort Dog: If you’ve ever wondered how and why the dogs and handlers know when to show up, it’s pretty simple: Comfort Dogs only go where they are invited. So it is helpful when there are direct connections in the community who reach out for a visit. Churches can send an emergency request via the form on the right side of this web page.
You can also find all of our NOW District Comfort Dogs on Facebook with their contact info:
Sharon Comfort Dog – Federal Way, Washington
Fisher Comfort Dog – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Isaac Comfort Dog – Spokane Valley, Washington
LCC has a team of people that work to coordinate locations to visit/which dogs are available to attend. Many times, the teams go to medical examiners, fire departments, 911 call centers, community outreach centers or places where people are gathering, memorial services, and more.
