A unique event took place at UNLV’s Boyd Law School on Friday, where about a dozen specially trained dogs participated in a courtroom certification event designed to help child victims during legal proceedings.
According to Ryan Millbern, president of the International Casino and Resort Working Dog Association, it is quite rare for every dog participating in such an event to pass the certification.
“Every dog passing, that is generally not the norm by any means. So today, it’s apparent these dogs have had some training before,” he stated.
The certification allows these dogs to accompany child victims as they testify in court, providing emotional support during what can be a very challenging time.
The event, organized by the nonprofit Courtroom Critters, marked a significant milestone in integrating therapy dogs into the judicial process.
Upon successful certification, each dog was adorned with a graduation cap and sash, while a half-French, half-English bulldog named Hufflepuff took on the role of a symbolic judge, complete with a white wig.
Gregory Gordon, an actual judge in attendance, highlighted the importance of such initiatives.
“We’ve got over 3,000 kids in our foster system right now. Again, most of those kids are victims of some kind of abuse,” said Gordon.
Throughout the event, Gordon observed from the back of the simulated courtroom, listening to speakers who discussed the positive impact of therapy dogs while also providing vital information for the handlers.
Volunteers filled in as witnesses during the certification process, simulating real courtroom scenarios that the therapy dogs will eventually encounter.
Serenity Snare was the first to demonstrate the program’s impact, accompanied by a 4-year-old Belgian tervuren named Mahlu.
“I wasn’t having a great day today, and everything is so much better,” Snare remarked. “He’s such a sweet and well-behaved dog.”
Mahlu, an accomplished show dog, has won competitions in France, Switzerland, and the U.S. His trainer, 72-year-old Daniele Ledoux-Starzyk, began his journey into therapy work after being inspired by others.
“I was asked by someone, and can’t remember who, and (they) said, ‘Would you like to do therapy with him?’ Because he’s so different than most Belgians,” Ledoux-Starzyk shared.
The dogs sat patiently in the certification room for several hours, taking turns alongside witnesses while speakers delivered emotional presentations regarding cases of child abuse handled by the Clark County district attorney’s office.
Millbern explained the importance of training the dogs to remain calm in emotionally charged situations.
“Even when you’re doing your best to hide those emotions, the dogs can smell that their handler is upset,” he said. “So, it’s important for these dogs to be around that and to train with that and to make sure that the dogs maintain their calmness.”
Remarkably, every dog, including Mahlu, managed to stay composed throughout the event, even during discussions of distressing real-life cases.
“I’ve had to learn to be kind of careful, especially with (Mahlu), because he is so attuned to me and attended to people’s feelings,” Ledoux-Starzyk explained.
During the closing moments of the event, the dogs donned their graduation caps and sashes as photographers commemorated the achievements amid the tune of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
“Having dogs in a courtroom setting is absolutely vital,” Millbern emphasized. “It brings an immense amount of confidence for many victims. It brings some warmth, some comfort in a time that is probably, other than the actual victimization, this is the next most stressful moment of their life.”
image source from：https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/education/it-brings-some-warmth-every-dog-graduates-in-rare-las-vegas-court-certification-event-3385251/?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=latest&utm_source=post_3385105&utm_term=%E2%80%98It%20brings%20some%20warmth%E2%80%99%3A%20Every%20dog%20graduates%20in%20rare%20Las%20Vegas%20court%20certification%20event
