Poster Presentation The International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ): 27th Annual Conference 2018

Sit stay support dogs in court. (#207)

Kristy Donaldson 1 , Elizabeth Kjellstrand Hartwig 2
  1. Premier Neurofeedback & Counseling Services, United States
  2. Texas State University, United States

Introduction: Individuals called to testify as witnesses need additional support during court proceedings to reduce undue emotional distress and potential revictimization. While researchers have shown the positive use of therapy dogs in a variety of contexts, the court system does not widely accept this modality as a form of support. The study focused on attorney perspectives on the use of facility dogs as a support system in the courtroom.

Methodology: A sample of six trial lawyers, comprised of three prosecution and three defense attorneys, participated in this qualitative case study. Interviews with seven survey questions were conducted and recorded with each participant. The recordings were transcribed by a third party, then coded and themed. The categories created for each survey question were then applied in thematic units for each question with a responding bar graph and percentage of the coded data. These percentages provided information about how each of the participants responded and how their responses overlapped one another, resulting in themes within each research question.

Main Results: Primary themes that emerged from this study include the following:

  • there is a relationship between facility dogs as a support to calm witnesses with better recall;
  • the benefits of support outweighed any potential perceptions the jurors may have initially; and
  • the preliminary examination of a witness or juror is an appropriate place to dispel any preconceived ideas about the use of support systems.

Principal Conclusions and Implications for Field: Outcomes from this study revealed that participants find the use of facility dogs as a valuable support entity in the court room. Findings also indicated some concerns with potential witness biases and the need for appropriate explanation to jurors prior to a case being heard. Overall, facility dogs in the courtroom were broadly accepted and considered to be a wave of the future in witness support.

  1. Bowers, S. V. (2013). The use of “therapy dogs” in Indiana courtrooms: Why a dog might not be a defendant's best friend. Indiana Law Review, 46(4), 1289-1315.
  2. Crenshaw, D. A. (2011). The play therapist as advocate for children in the court system. Play Therapy, 6(4), 6-9.
  3. Grimm, A. L. (2013). An examination of why permitting therapy dogs to assist child-victims when testifying during criminal trials should not be permitted. Journal of Gender, Race, & Justice, 16(1), 263-292.
  4. Holder, C. (2013). All dogs go to court: The impact of court facility dogs as comfort for child witnesses on a defendant’s right to a fair trial. Houston Law Review, 50(4), 1155-1187.