Courthouse facility dog

Few dog jobs ask for more stillness. A courthouse facility dog sits with children and vulnerable witnesses during police interviews and while they wait at court, and, where a judge allows it, lies at their feet while they give evidence. The practice grew out of a Seattle prosecutor's office in the early 2000s and has since spread across the United States and to other countries. The dogs come from accredited assistance-dog organisations, usually calm retrievers that can stay settled through hours of difficult testimony.