Courthouse Dogs Comfort Shooting Survivors
KING 5 News reported that two Courthouse Dogs from Thurston County went to Las Vegas last week to provide comfort to survivors of the Las Vegas shooting.
One dogs was Marshall, a black Lab that normally works in the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office.
Marshal and Astro in Las Vegas. Photo from Monarch Child Justice and Advocacy Center.
Marshall’s job is to “simply to be there for victims, placing his head in their laps, and allowing them to pet his velvety ears. He’s there to provide comfort, and to make the experience a little more bearable.”
The other dog was Astro, a yellow Lab that works for the Children’s Justice and Advocacy Center in Lacey.
Astro’s usual workday includes “assisting children during forensic interviews, medical exams, defense interviews, therapy sessions and during court testifying.”
After retiring in 2011, Ms. O’Neill-Stephens founded the Courthouse Dog Foundation to provide expert education and guidance for legal professionals. Through her work, there are 149 Courthouse Dogs working in 35 states as well as Canada and Chile.
According to the Olympian, the Las Vegas fire department contacted the Courthouse Dog Foundation about getting some dogs to help survivors. The next day, Marshal, Astro and six other courthouse dogs headed out to help. It was the first time the dogs helped survivors of such a horrific tragedy.
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