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Dogs comforting children who testify in court
Allie Corey reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Lorne and Barley are about as gentle as they come, and their calm demeanor earned them their roles as "Courthouse Facility Dogs" with the non-profit Voices For Children in Hillsborough County.
"He knows when he walks into this building, he is working, and he is here to serve his client which is the victims," said Lorne's handler Dayle Urquheart.
The dogs provide emotional support for kids who’ve been through the unthinkable and have to share their stories and testify in court. The dogs and their handlers, Urquheart and Kelsey Grimmer, went through rigorous training with canine companions before graduating into their prestigious roles.
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"These dogs are angels, these handlers are amazing for what they do, and I do know that they make a difference," said Jennifer Starr, the executive director with Voices for Children.
Judge Leslie Schultz-Kin has witnessed the impact Lorne and Barley have had firsthand.
"I’ve been just amazed at what those children can come in and tell me about their story and about what happened to them," said Judge Schultz-Kin. "I fully and wholeheartedly believe it is due in large part to that dog sitting right next to them empowering them in that zone of safety, in that zone of comfort, in helping them to find their voice."
Barley was there for one teenage girl who was a victim of sexual assault.
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"When I was a little bit stressed out during the deposition Barley put his head right here, and he started sleeping and snoring," the teenager, who is not being identified, said.
The two dogs have been there countless times to comfort victims.
"There’s been other criminal cases where he’s actually gone up on the witness stand which is kind of a big deal, this year I think Lorne has served six children on the stand," Urquheart said.
They are so good, the jury has no idea the dogs are there, lying at the feet of the victims who are testifying.
When Lorne and Barley aren’t at the Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown, they’re comforting children at Mary Lee’s House. It has served as a safe haven for kids in the system in Hillsborough County since 2008.
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Barley’s handler Kelsey Grimmer explained, "We just try to divide and conquer," said Grimmer, Barley's handler. "So, it could be working a morning or afternoon. We try not to work the dogs more than 20 hours a week."
The children Grimmer and Urqugeart meet stick with them, some more than others.
"The last time when I saw him, he said to me, ‘I was an innocent kid when I came into the system, I was an innocent boy,’" Urquheart said. "So, were still trying to find him his home, and we'll just stick with him until he finds it."
Urquheart and Grimmer said they couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
"It’s changing one child at a time. I mean you can't change the world, but you can make a difference and I feel like every day that we go to work we make a difference," said Urquheart.
The Courthouse Facility Dog Program started with Voices For Children in 2014 and has helped close to 3,000 children. Its success is catching on, and a non-profit in Pinellas County is looking to start a similar program for circuit 6.