In life’s most difficult moments, comfort can come from the most unexpected places.
At Moore Funeral Home in Arlington, that comfort sometimes arrives on four paws.
Honey, an 11-month-old Goldendoodle, has quickly become a beloved member of the funeral home’s team. Her job is simple: greet families, sit beside them and offer quiet companionship during some of life’s hardest goodbyes.
Staff said Honey’s presence has transformed the atmosphere inside the funeral home.
“It’s hard to remember life before Honey,” said Scarlett Whalen, general manager of Moore Funeral Home. “She definitely has lifted the environment. She’s brought the team closer. I’ve never seen some of our team members smile as big as they have after she came.”
How Honey joined the Moore family
Honey joined the team several months ago after managers Matt Neill and Whalen began researching the benefits of comfort dogs in funeral homes. Neill said he had long thought about bringing a dog into the environment to help families during difficult times.
When they found Honey through a breeder in East Texas, Neill said it was immediately clear she was the right fit.
“From the moment that I walked in the funeral home with her, she has been absolutely perfect,” Neill said.
After arriving, Honey spent time getting familiar with the space before completing obedience training to ensure she could calmly interact with visitors.
Now, she spends her days greeting families in the lobby, visiting with guests during services and visitations, and offering a quiet presence to those who need it.
Healing hearts
Neill said the reaction from families has been immediate.
“It’s just the smiles that she brings to someone’s face when we walk in the room with her,” Neill said. “The light that goes off in them when they see her.”
Staff said Honey’s presence is especially meaningful for children who may struggle to process grief.
“With children and death and funerals, they really don’t know how to express themselves,” Neill said. “With Honey, they can sit down with her, love on her. They don’t have to say anything if they don’t want to.”
Family service counselor Nikita Le said she sees the difference Honey makes every day.
“She has really brought them peace and comfort,” Le said. “I do see the difference in families. They love her. They ask for her.”
Le said the dog’s presence has even changed the environment for staff.
“People think funeral homes are dark and somber,” she said. “But Honey brings a lightness that you usually don’t experience.”
Honey has become such an important part of the funeral home that staff say they notice when she isn’t there.
“When she’s not here, you feel a void,” Whalen said. “She really is like a sunshine element to our team.”
Help wish Honey a happy birthday
Moore Funeral Home plans to celebrate Honey’s first birthday on April 4 with a community event benefiting the Humane Society, inviting guests to bring donations like pet toys, treats and blankets.
For the staff and families who encounter her each day, Honey’s role is simple but meaningful.
In a place where people come to say goodbye, she offers something else – a quiet moment of comfort.