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Pets pick up on cues to comfort the dying, the grieving

LOS ANGELES — For those who are dying, it’s clear why all dogs go to heaven.

They provide comfort not just in death, but in other difficult times, whether it’s depression, job loss or a move across country. Dogs know when people are dying or grieving through body language cues, smells only they can detect and other ways not yet known, experts say.

As a hospice veterinarian, Jessica Vogelsang knows how much “being there” can mean to struggling people or pets. She’s director of Paws Into Grace in Southern California, a group of vets who provide end-of-life care and euthanasia for pets at home.