November 13, 2019

Therapy dogs sighted on Capitol Hill amid stress of first public impeachment hearing

WATCH: Therapy dogs sighted on Capitol Hill amid 1st public impeachment hearing

As tensions ran high in the nation's capital amid the first round of public impeachment hearings on Wednesday, a non-profit wanted to ease the stress level of staffers and others on the Hill, one dog at a time.

Pet Partners, a pet therapy organization, teamed up with the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) to provide therapy dogs to the U.S. Capitol.

Mark Makela/Getty Images
A goldendoodle therapy dog named Blue greets Congressional staff during a "Meet the Pets: Destress with Post-Election Therapy Dogs" event on Nov. 13, 2019, in Washington.
(MORE: Revelations at 1st impeachment hearing: Trump asked about Ukraine 'investigations')

As members of the House Intelligence Committee questioned Ambassador William Taylor and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent, the squad of pups provided those on the Hill a little "pet therapy."

Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
A reporter interacts with two therapy dogs visiting Capitol Hill for an event run by a therapy animal organization, and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council to help provide staffers stress relief on Nov. 13, 2019.

The dogs seemed to be a big hit, as PIJAC tweeted, "Great to have so many staffers stop by our #pettherapy on the Hill event today!"

(MORE: Read opening statements of Bill Taylor and George Kent from impeachment hearings tied to Trump-Zelenskiy call)
Mark Makela/Getty Images
Swiss Shepherd therapy dog, Sampson, greets Congressional staff during a "Meet the Pets: Destress with Post-Election Therapy Dogs" event on Nov. 13, 2019, in Washington.

The registered therapy dogs were on the Hill from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Hart and Rayburn buildings.

It was unclear if the dogs would return for any of the other public hearings, which resume on Friday and continue next week.