Dogs Helping Victims in Court
03 May 2009
A little known law on the California books is that a child witness may have another human or a dog with them on the witness stand. A non-profit group called Paws’itive Teams has been providing dogs for this purpose.
One such team is Lynn Chavez and Dory. Chavez is a Police Officer with the San Diego Police Department. Dory, a Team Facility Dog, helps children get through this trying time. Dory is trained to support and comfort children as they reveal the disturbing details of their story. These cases usually involve a child who has been sexually or physically abused.
Right now, the program is privately paid for. The non-profit operation works solely on donations. The hope is one day these dogs may become so vital to child testimony that a program will be funded by the state.
Lynn Chavez has written a wonderful article about Dory’s importance:
You can also watch this video from CNN on how Dory helped one child victim get through her ordeal:
