Testifying in court can be a terrifying experience, especially for a young child. Now, in Hillsborough County, abused children can be comforted and helped through the preparation for their court appearances by a Courteous Canine.
Courteous Canine Paws for Justice has six trained dog-and-handler teams who will assist abused children who have to testify. The teams can accompany the children to depositions and trial prep and help the child relax before and after testifying. Small dogs can sit on the child’s lap; larger dogs can lie down next to the child and offer a comforting paw to hold. If they want to, the kids can sit on the floor and cuddle the dogs. Each dog will be accompanied by two human handlers, who will wear noise-blocking headphones to protect the confidentiality of the child’s testimony.
