Meet the ‘courtroom dogs’ who help child crime victims tell their stories

PBS NEWSHOUR ^

[SandRat]

Getting child crime victims to open up is never easy for investigators and asking them to tell their stories to a jury can be brutally traumatizing. To help these kids overcome their fears, some courtrooms across the country are employing comfort dogs, canine companions who take the stand alongside them to calm and bolster their spirits. Special correspondent Kathleen McCleery reports.

[SandRat]

comfort dogs, in court

[KosmicKitty]

Too bad the 12-year-old rape victim Old Hill destroyed in court didn’t get to have one.

[Cecily]

How do little dogs get in on this deal?

[SandRat]

Don’t know go to the website to get more info.

[libstripper]

This could be really bothersome from a due process standpoint. Just imagine a semi-hysterical child who’s had her memory “refreshed” by a memory recovery “therapist” testifying while hugging the world’s most appealing Golden Retriever. It would be nearly impossible to cross examine her, regardless of how outlandishly unbelievable her testimony was, without looking like the world’s worst villan.

[sparklite2]

Remember ‘recovered memories’?

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

Illary would find a way to cross examine the child! The little one would be torn apart by Illary’s ‘love’ for justice’ (or is it ‘just us’?).

[Forgotten Amendments]

Remember ‘recovered memories’?

Yup! Every time I hear about children testifying I get real nervous. Remember "Children can't lie!"?

One of the darkest eras in our history and nobody knows or cares.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

If this is just having a dog there when a kid is interviewed or testifies (and there is no “prodding”) I don’t see the problem. If there’s “prodding,” it’s a problem regardless of whether a dog is there or not.

[KrisKrinkle]

I wouldn’t want a dog. I’d want a bunny...a Playboy Bunny.

[Albion Wilde]

bump

[SandRat]

How about a PENTHOUSE PET?

[KrisKrinkle]

She’ll do too.

[Mercat]

It’s pretty much true that one does not cross examine a child or a grandma. But I never did criminal cases and I do recall a sweet old grandma being handcuffed at the courthouse. She was obviously tweaking.

[Albion Wilde]

Ping

[upchuck]

Thanks for the ping. Dogs can do amazing things.

I was reading as article recently about a woman whose dog seemed obsessed with her right thigh. Trying to lick and sniff it.

The woman mentioned the behavior to her doctor. An examination was done and they discovered the woman had bone cancer in her thigh.

Fortunately, the dog’s “diagnosis” was early enough that the cancer was killed using radiation treatments.

Thank God for dogs.

[Albion Wilde]

That’s amazing! Dogs can do everything but talk, and open pickle jars.

I was a confirmed cat person until my best friends’ dog decided he loves me. Now I’m on his wavelength, too. He’s a golden.