DANIEL AND HIS TEAM ARE FEATURED IN OUTREACH MAGAZINE!

“We get to begin our work of visiting with people and sharing the mercy and compassion of Jesus with people who are suffering and in need.” Read the article featured in the national publication, “Outreach Magazine” here.
Joplin’s new Comfort Dog is here to serve you, and you can help us stay ready to Comfort. Donate to the Joplin Comfort Dog Team Travel Fund here.

Bringing Mercy and Compassion

Immanuel’s Comfort Dog Team visits people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and at community events, sharing mercy and compassion with those hurting or in need. Our Team Daniel also responds after disasters all around the country and have become trusted friends to many. More than one hundred LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are serving Lutheran congregations and schools all around the United States, thanks to the amazing work of Lutheran Church Charities (LCC).

A Comfort Dog is a friend who brings a calming influence and allows people to open up their hearts and receive help for what is affecting them.

Meet Joplin’s Comfort Dog

• Daniel Comfort Dog
• Birthday: January 15, 2021
• Bible verse: “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” Daniel 12:3
• Special traits: skilled and playful, he lives to please and do his work (as well as chew on a bone at the end of the day.)
• Ministry strength: Daniel is very reliable with his commands and loves to meet new people.
• Favorite snack: an occasional dab of peanut butter inside a Kong toy
• Favorite way to relax: massage, grooming and cuddle time
• Connect with Daniel:
  • facebook.com/DanielComfortDog
  • instagram.com/LCCK9Daniel
  • daniel@K9Comfort.org

About Our Work

Joplin’s Comfort Dog team is made up of nearly a dozen caregivers and handlers — all volunteers — who take our Comfort Dog to visits throughout the week. You’ll see us at the mall, hospitals, nursing care facilities, schools, and at community meetings and events. You also may hear about our deployment work, helping people in need after natural disasters, shootings, and anywhere else that people are hurting. We’ve included a map showing several of our deployments over the years.

Notable Deployments

• Sandy Hook, Connecticut, following the school shooting | January 2013
• Moore, Oklahoma, following a devastating tornado | May 2013
• Mayflower, Arkansas, following another deadly tornado | May 2014
• Nashville, Illinois, following a tragic plane crash | January 2015
• Stillwater, Oklahoma, following a deadly homecoming parade crash | October 2015
• Las Vegas, Nevada, following the Mandalay Bay Casino shooting | October 2017

When invited, Team Joplin will do what we can to be there for hurting people, and we never ever charge anyone for what we do. Our Comfort Dog Ministry depends on donations and the church budget to keep us ready to serve whenever and wherever God calls us.

Why Do We Do This?

Our world is full of broken people—folks who are hurting and in need. Petting a Comfort Dog and making a human connection is often helpful.

But we are ready, when appropriate, to provide much more. By faith, our Comfort Dog team is moved to share the mercy, compassion, presence, and proclamation of Jesus Christ. In Jesus there is Mercy for the broken and Compassion for the hurting. God Himself is Present in His life-giving Word. This Proclamation of hope is the true, capital “C” Comfort that we all need. Our world is desperate for it. (Learn more about Jesus here.)

During many of our visits, our trained volunteers have the privilege of praying with the people we meet, sharing Scripture and pointing them to the love and mercy of Jesus. We thank God that we are often called to serve in this way with Comfort Dogs.

Support Our Comfort Dog Work

We welcome your prayers and words of encouragement. Our Comfort Dog Ministry is supported completely by donations, and there is never a fee for the work that we do. If you would like to support us financially, tax-deductible contributions are being accepted to the Joplin Comfort Dog Travel Fund. Donate now with Givelify or check out our secure, Online Giving Page hosted by EServicePayments/VANCO, or send a check by mail to:

Immanuel Comfort Dogs | 2616 Connecticut Ave | Joplin, MO 64804

Contact the Dog Team or Request a Visit

We would love to hear from you! The Joplin Comfort Dog Team is available to visit your church or group. Please fill out the form below.

[contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”1″][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email”][contact-field label=”Phone” type=”text”][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea”][/contact-form]

“In Memory of Louie Comfort Dog” — March 2021

“Remembering Jackson Comfort Dog” — March 2019

Local Comfort Dog Partners

The Joplin Comfort Dog Team couldn’t do what they do without the help of these Joplin businesses, who provide excellent care and believe in the work being done. Thank you to Dr. Michelle Cahill at Academy Animal Hospital and to Sandy Jimerson at Joh Joh’s Classy Canine!

Joplin Comfort Dogs In The News

• “Canine Comfort Ministry” by Nadra Kareem Nittle of Outreach Magazine — May 2023
• “Cozy Canine Comfort” Front Page Story by Roger Nomer of The Joplin Globe — Dec 2022
• “Meet Daniel Comfort Dog” by Jessica Schaer KSN-16 NBC Affiliate — Dec 2022
• “Church Mourns Death of Louie the Comfort Dog” by The Joplin Globe — Mar 2021
• [Jackson] “Comfort Dog Remembered for His Loving Nature, Community Impact” by The Joplin Globe – Mar 2019
• Cover Story in “J-Mag” by The Joplin Globe – Mar 2018
• MSSU Host Comfort Dogs For Finals Week – Dec 2017
• Comfort Dogs Return From Vegas – Oct 2017
• NBC National News Story from our visit to Las Vegas – Oct 2017

Learn More

• Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin
• Martin Luther School (age 2-middle school)
• Our Other Mission Ministries
• LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs & Lutheran Church Charities
• NEXT Comfort Dog for Joplin Campaign (now completed)

Comfort Dog handler schedule

Password Protected Google Calendar for the Joplin Comfort Dog Team