KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Jewel the Loudon County comfort dog is going to Florida to offer emotional support to families affected by the tragic condo collapse outside of Miami

Jewel, a comfort dog, is part of a team of nine comfort dogs from Lutheran Church Charities traveling to Surfside. The dogs will be serving the families, first responders, and all those who have been affected by this tragedy through bring ‘hope and comfort’.

The dogs and their handlers are expected to arrive in Surfside, Florida on July 6th. Jewel has been deployed to other shootings and disasters, including after the Pulse nightclub shooting.

(Photo via Lutheran Church Charities)

The LCC K-9 Ministries uses AKC Purebred Golden Retrievers to interact with people to bring comfort to those in need.

The comfort dogs serve in the communities in which they are placed and when invited, they are also deployed in times of disaster and crisis. The dogs are used to bring comfort to those affected, including first responders and the volunteers who serve them.