Dog Sworn In At State Attorney's Office As Emotional Support Dog

Nov 06, 2019 by apost team

They say that every dog has its day, something that rings true for one special pooch in Illinois. Last week, Hatty, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever, was sworn-in at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago. Hatty won’t be working on legal briefs or catching criminals, however.

Hatty’s job at the courthouse will be to do what dogs do best: give affection as an emotional-support animal. Hatty will serve the state by assisting children and witnesses with mental health issues during testimony. It is expected that the sweet pooch will assist in about 200 cases each year.

apost.com

While the attorney general’s office uses several emotional-support dogs, Hatty will be the first one partially trained by prison inmates. Kim Foxx, Cook County’s state’s attorney, presided over the ceremony. Hatty stood on her hind legs with her front paws on a law book as Foxx administered the oath of office.

Speaking with reporters from Fox News after the ceremony, Foxx said that victims are at the center of their work at the Attorney General’s Office. Pointing out how painful retelling a moment of abuse can be, Foxx is happy to have Hatty in the courtroom giving victims of trauma the help they need to confront their abusers and tell their stories.

Stephanie Coehlo, Hatty’s primary handler, and a victim-witness specialist was also on-hand at the ceremony reports Metro. Photos from the event were later shared on Foxx’s Twitter. Captions attached to the pictures reiterate the State Attorney General’s Office’s mission of better serving witnesses and those victims of trauma with the support they need in one of the most difficult moments of their life.

What do you think of Hatty’s job with the State Attorney General’s Office in Illinois? Do you or anyone you know use support animals?