We often hear about therapy dogs in nursing homes or hospices, but, increasingly, therapy dogs are also finding themselves at home in local funeral homes. Beth Johnson from Ultimate Canine, and Bob Prout and Julia Prout from Prout Funeral Home in New Jersey, join us to talk about the Prout’s therapy dog, Morris V. Prout, and how his training helped him provide comfort to people who are grieving.
Therapy Dogs: A Pawsitive Addition to Funeral Homes
Therapy Dogs: A Pawsitive Addition to Funeral Homes
About Our Guest
Morris V. Prout, Certified Therapy Dog and Director of Community Engagement, Prout Funeral Home
About Our Guest
Robert J. Prout, Co-Owner, Senior Director, Prout Funeral Home
Bob Prout was licensed as a Funeral Director in 1978 and is a third-generation, co-owner of Prout Funeral Home in Verona NJ.
In 2004/2005 he was involved in the conversion of his business to Solar Electric, and in 2007 received the New Jersey Clean Energy Small Business Leader of the Year Award for his work in Solar education. In October of 2007, he received the Conservation Award from the Friends of Camp Glen Gray, County of Bergen for efforts in replanting after a forest fire and conservation efforts at camp and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in October 2009. He is the first Funeral Director in the State of New Jersey, and one of the first in the nation to be certified by the Green Burial Council and the first Funeral Director in the nation to receive the Green Funeral Practices Award from NFDA.
About Our Guest
Julia Prout, Licensed Funeral Director, Prout Funeral Home
Julia Prout is a fourth-generation licensed Funeral Director working with her family at the Prout Funeral Home, Inc. in Verona, NJ. Prior to her career in funeral service, Julia earned a B.A. from The George Washington University in Washington, DC where she studied Geography with a concentration on sustainability and remote sensing. During her time as an undergraduate, Julia was awarded a grant from the university to study the effects of climate change on the tourism economy and local businesses in the Jungfrau region of the Swiss Alps. After presenting her findings, she worked as a consultant for a D.C.-based knitwear accessories brand, helping them develop more sustainable business practices. In 2016, Julia returned to Verona and updated the funeral home's online presence to meet the changing needs of the modern consumer. Before long she was fully involved in the family business as a registered intern attending mortuary school at American Academy McAllister Institute in New York City. Julia became a licensed funeral director in 2018 and has since been featured in articles about the role of digital marketing in funeral service as well as the trend toward sustainable funeral practices. She has also presented webinars and lectures on green funerals/ natural burials alongside her father, Bob Prout, for professional and consumer groups alike.
About Our Guest
Beth Johnson, Trainer, Ultimate Canine
Beth Johnson is a trainer at Ultimate Canine, an organization that has been offering customized dog training and associated services for more than ten years. Ultimate Canine offers basic obedience training for family and companion dogs to more advanced training for therapy dogs, service dogs, and police dogs.
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1 thought on “Therapy Dogs: A Pawsitive Addition to Funeral Homes”
Barbara
Daughter just passed and need some support from a pet friend.
August 30, 2022 at 07:34am