Dogs That Do Justice

Are there dogs that do justice? It was just what our four-legged friends needed to do. And the truth is that, considering the decisions of some judges, it wouldn’t be bad to replace them with beings with a more intelligent or less interested look. However, at the moment, the inclusion of furry ones in these areas seems to occur only in the follow-up of some victims.

A project for dogs to help victims

On the initiative of the non-profit association TEA Therapies with Labradors, a project to authorize the presence of dogs in the courts was presented at the Colegio de Advogados de Oviedo, Spain.

Thus, Asturias could be the second Autonomous community, after Madrid, where these noble animals would be used to support minors in different legal proceedings. The plan also includes adult victims, particularly those who have suffered gender-based violence.

The main reason dogs intervene in certain cases is to build trust in the victims. In this way, it is sought that people reduce their anxiety and stress, making the different judicial instances less traumatic.

Therefore , dogs, specially trained for this type of task, would offer support from the investigation phase to the court appearance stage.

What does the support dogs initiative in the courts consist of?

The project coordinator is Amelia Suárez Rico. She has a law degree and a degree in Criminology. She also has a degree from the University of Oviedo in intervention programs in animal-assisted therapies. For all that, she knows very well the situation that people who suffer the so-called “double victimization” must go through, as they have to relive the painful situation they suffered.

She also knows that  with dogs participating, victims are reassured and tend to be more communicative. For this reason, they are able to witness more fluidly.

To implement this initiative, the TEA association offers six dogs, mostly of the Labrador breed . In addition, it makes available a team of experts composed of:

• social educators
• Psychologists
• Pedagogues
• Sociosanitary professionals

Waiting for a pilot experience to be launched

Source: TEA Therapies with Labradors Facebook

TEA is confident that they will soon approve the implementation of a six-month pilot experience, which will not entail any cost to the beneficiaries. The decision now depends on the Ministry of Presidency and Citizen Participation of the Principality and the Superior Court of Justice of Asturias (TSJA).

If the initiative is put into action, the participation of dogs must be recommended by the lawyer, psychologist or psychiatrist involved in each case. Furry animals would always be accompanied by a guide therapist, except on occasions when, for reasons of confidentiality, the animal had to be alone with the victim.

The idea is that, as soon as a vulnerable situation is detected, the TEA team should be notified. Thus, immediately a professional and a dog will be designated to support the victim. In the case of minors, the consent of the parents or guardians must also be obtained.

That’s how the dogs that do justice work

With the work of support dogs in the courts, the areas where these therapy animals fulfill a commendable role are further expanded. And to be fair to them, we must say that, in their own way, they are dogs that do justice.

Therefore, we must not forget that we are referring to a working dog, which has been trained and evaluated to develop this function.

In addition, these furries must comply with veterinary protocols that credit their physical health. And your vaccination schedule must be up to date.

Also, for dogs to enter the different courts, they must wear a harness that identifies them and allows their presence in the building without major inconvenience.

Main photo source: www.elcomercio.es

Photo source: Facebook TEA therapy with Labradors