Rose posing in front of the courthouse with her handler and trainer
Several weeks ago we brought you the story about Rose a Golden Retreiver who works with emotionally disturbed children who was called into court in order to help keep a girl calm while she was testifying against the man she says molested her. The question at the time was a question of law in New York. If the dog is allowed to be present at the trial, it would mark the first time in New York that a so-called “companion animal” would be permitted to accompany a witness during a trial. The judge finally ruled that Rose would be permitted into the courtroom to sit next to the girl as she testified before the jury.
The now 15-year-old victim testified in court on Monday. During her hour long testimony, she pet Rose who was sitting at her feet. The judge allowed the dog on the stand, because the girl suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and was unlikely to be able to testify without the aid of Rose. Allowing a dog into the courtroom to help a witness has never been done in New York, advocates list 18 jurisdictions including Washington, Idaho, California, Texas, Missouri, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Hawaii and New Mexico with courthouse dog programs.
