Courthouse Dogs

Yesterday we posted on Zoey, the grief therapy dog at a funeral home. Today we want to bring you another type of therapy dog -- courthouse dogs.

From the website:

A courthouse setting can be an intimidating place for most people who enter the building to participate in criminal or family court matters. However the presence of a well-trained dog that provides emotional support by offering a soft head to stroke can make the experience a less stressful one.

Since 2003 courthouse dogs have provided comfort to children who have been sexually abused while they undergo forensic interviews and testify in court. The dogs also assist drug court participants in their recovery, visit juveniles in detention facilities, greet jurors and in general lift the spirits of courthouse staff who often conduct their business in an adversarial setting.

In the King County Bar Bulletin, Superior Court Judge Wesley Saint Clair, who has had the experience of a facility dog assisting two witnesses during a trial and providing companionship to everyone in the drug court setting, stated that he “finds that the dog's presence dissipates tension for everyone when dealing with difficult issues and provides a sense of normalcy.”

You can read the rest of this and find more information at CourthouseDogs.

We think it's terrific that humans are finding we furries are not just flea buffets but flesh and blood comforters. There are entire blogs dedicated to therapy dogs. And we know a few therapy cats in the Cat Blogosphere.

So, if all these dogs and cats can be therapy animals, why won't Jan let us do therapy on her toe? Does she have something against furry therapy?

We added a new design to our Zazzle store for mugs, cards, misc. items.