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One-Day Workshops with Courthouse Dogs

Please have this every year.  It is such an important resource that more people need to know about.
     - from Crimes Against Children Conference August 09

During this all-day, hands-on workshop for child advocacy center professionals, we will teach you about the best way a professionally trained dog can assist child victims and witnesses. Topics covered include:

• Philosophy and best practices in the use of courthouse dogs
• What a professionally trained dog can do for your clients
• Using a courthouse dog in public areas of your courthouse or child advocacy center
• Using a dog effectively in forensic interviews – specific tips and techniques
• Possible negative consequences of using therapy dogs and volunteer handlers
• In the courtroom – when to use a dog, when to introduce the motion, writing a brief, arguing the motion
• Defending against challenges to the use of the dog in the courtroom
• A prosecutor's personal account of using of dog to assist a vulnerable witness
• Where can you obtain a facility assistance dog?
• Costs involved in a courthouse dog program
• Handling the problems of dog allergic people and children who are afraid of dogs
• Integrating a fulltime dog successfully into a professional office  environment

 




With time to discuss the local settings and conditions, Courthouse Dogs consultants will be able to make specific suggestions for the incorporation of assistance dogs into your program of victim/witness support. Video clips of the dogs working in forensic interview settings will make it clear how the dog will be of help to vulnerable crime victims.

Courthouse Dogs will provide valuable information on the development of a successful dog program, as well as model policies and protocols, a suggested brief in support of the use of a dog in the courtroom, and advice on where to get the best dog for your program.

A fully trained assistance dog will be available for demonstration purposes at the workshop. We prefer to limit attendance to no more than 30 child advocacy professionals in order to allow ample time throughout the day for interaction with the trained dog and for specific individual advice on program development.

Courthouse Dogs offers a full range of consulting services in this field. Please contact us for further information.