Meet Lulu, a White Plains funeral home's comfort dog (VIDEO)
WHITE PLAINS – Sometimes, you just want to pet a dog.
They're known as man's best friend because of their unwavering loyalty and affection for humans. Some are trained to help the disabled in a myriad of ways. Others assist authorities in sniffing out bombs, detecting drugs and identifying arson fires.
Now, at the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home in White Plains, a dog is helping people mourn the loss of their loved ones.
"Lulu," a year-old retriever/poodle mix known as a "goldendoodle," has been the official, specially trained therapy dog for almost a month, providing comfort and maybe bringing a little smile to those in grief. She sits in the lobby of the Maple Avenue home and responds if someone greets her or reaches out to her.
"We only introduce her if a family asks," said funeral director Matthew Fiorillo. "We don't want to upset people who don't like dogs, or distract mourners. She's just here for people who might find a little comfort with her."
Lulu, believed to be the only funeral dog in the Lower Hudson Valley, comes to Ballard-Durand after a year of training in Florida.
"She was socialized like crazy," Fiorillo said. "The trainer even took her to Disney World, to make sure she can stay calm when she's in big crowds of people."
"Lulu was wonderful," said Sandy Del Duca of White Plains, whose father, former White Plains Public Safety Aid Americo "Mickey" Del Duca, died recently. "I didn't know about her, but she was sitting in the lobby when I walked in and I just figured she was the director's dog. They explained that she's trained to comfort people, and that's what she did with me."
Del Duca, a high school English teacher, said Lulu sat with her while she made arrangements for her father, walked in with her during the wake and mingled with those who attended the May 17 funeral service.
"My father loved animals, and I think he would have been happy that she was there," Del Duca said. "Her being there got people talking about how much Dad loved animals and made it more of a celebration of his life. In some ways, she made what could have been a difficult, traumatic memory — my father's funeral — a better one."
That's why she's there, Fiorillo said, adding that there is no charge for the dog's services. When working, Lulu wears a blue vest with the words "Pet me, I'm friendly," embroidered on it, along with a "Therapy Dog" patch. She's calm and quiet and responds to Fiorillo's commands instantly. She has one working trick — when told to "say a prayer," she puts her front paws up on a chair and bows her head between them.
"She has an uncanny knack for being able to spot people who need her," Fiorillo said. "She gravitates to them. I can't explain it, but it's there."
When the work day is done, and the vest comes off, he said, "She's a different dog. She's very playful and energetic. She loves playing fetch and running around."
But he didn't buy her to be the family pet, Fiorillo said.
"I was stuck in an airport in Florida two years ago, waiting three or four hours for a plane that was delayed and it was just miserable," he said. "People were angry and getting really short-tempered, and this woman walked by with a dog. The calming affect that dog had on people, just by walking past them, hit a chord with me for some reason, and I started thinking, why not apply that to a funeral?"
He started researching and found that goldendoodles are good with people and don't bother those with allergies. After settling on the hybrid breed, he bought Lulu from a Florida kennel when she was born and sent her to a trainer a short time later.
The comfort dog is the latest out-of-the-ordinary innovation Fiorillo has brought to his business. Last year he introduced a Harley-Davidson motorcycle hearse for families who want to give their deceased biker loved ones an easy ride to the great beyond.
"It's just another way to try and serve the needs of our families," he said. "If Lulu can help a family with the grief of losing a loved one, she's worth it."