A police dog helped a girl testify in a Vancouver court after being allegedly sexually assaulted. The act is being called a "legal first."
"When the child was testifying, she would reach down to just pet or rub the dog. When she broke down during the testimony, we had to stand down," Winston Sayson, Crown lawyer, told The Star. "She basically lay down beside the dog. They lay down together and it really helped her calm down and she was able to return to court and complete her testimony."
Using dogs to comfort victims in court is only occasionally used in Canada, although the Criminal Code states that special accommodations are allowed for vulnerable witnesses (mainly children).
This particular police dog, named Caber, was allowed in the courtroom because his presence would help the witness - who is a minor - give evidence, The Star reported.
Caber appeared to do a great job at comforting the witness, as she was able to testify for 90 minutes.
"Dogs provide unconditional support," Kim Gramlich, Caber's handler and the victim services co-ordinator for the Delta Police Department, told The Star. "They don't care about the colour of your skin, how much money you make, what you look like. They don't care about any of that. They just provide affection."
Sayson said that Caber's performance in the court room is opening the Crown to provide more options for victims of crime, as long as the dog brought in is an accredited stress dog.
