Maryland "Pets On Wheels" comfort folks in Newtown

It was about 3:15 p.m. Friday when the yellow school bus pulled up in a no-traffic zone in front ...  More »

It was about 3:15 p.m. Friday when the yellow school bus pulled up in a no-traffic zone in front of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue firehouse, having already spread its comfort and joy among the teens at Newtown High School and the younger kids at Hawley Elementary School. Firefighters scrambled to find a place for it. Inside, looking out the windows, were a couple of dozen bright, shining faces. Hairy faces. With whiskers. The Pets on Wheels express bus had arrived from Baltimore, ready to cheer up and provide comfort to anyone who needed it -- in a town where pretty much everyone needs it in the wake of the Dec. 14 shootings of 20 small children and six teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School, plus the mother of shooter Adam Lanza -- and Lanza himself. Within moments, dozens of distinguished canine therapists disembarked -- like clowns from a clown car -- and started spreading their love from person to person, tails a-wagging the whole time.  « Less