Two young Labrador retriever brothers working as therapy dogs in separate suburban counties reunited this week at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The doggie duo, Captain and Crew, are 3-year-old labrador retrievers who provide support to kids who have to testify as part of their work as therapy dogs for DuPage and Kane counties.
“He puts everyone in a great mood, I don’t know what we would do without him,” said Berlin of Crew. “He is trained to go to court to sit with victims and witnesses who are being interviewed. He naturally will go to someone who is in distress.”
Crew is a 3-year-old black lab working for DuPage County, and his littermate Captain is a yellow lab working in nearby Kane County.
“I wasn’t aware that Captain and Crew were from the same litter, and we found out shortly after,” said DuPage County States Attorney Bob Berlin. “We decided it would be a great idea to reunite them.”
The therapy dogs are tasked with accompanying children who need to testify in difficult court cases. DuPage County was on a waitlist for two years before getting Crew.
“We have a number of sex assaults to children as well as batteries to children, and it’s already a confusing environment for them to go into,” said Kane County States Attorney Jamie Mosser. “But when you have a dog who’s there to give a little joy, a little ray of hope, it makes it that much easier for them to go into the court system.”
Often times they say these dogs are crucial for uncovering truth and bringing justice to a case.
“It gives children that ability to have a voice again,” Mosser said.
Their handlers see first-hand the impact the furry friends have on children navigating a traumatic time in their lives.
Sayra Sanchez is Crew’s handler.
“They don’t want to talk to us, but when we bring Crew they’re able to say ‘I have a friend’ and they start [talking] and its remarkable,” she said.
Crew also has a coloring book in English and Spanish that teaches kids how to navigate the court system, and what a court room will look like.
“We’re able to go through the pictures with the kids they’re like, ‘oh I know what to do because Crew’s telling me,'” she said.
It’s a similar story for Captain in Kane County.
“Captain has been a great addition to the Child Advocacy Center,” said his handler Sara Innocenti. “We have kids coming in and talking about the worst moments in their life, and when they come in and see Captain they just get these smiles on their faces.”
In their courthouse he’s known as the ‘super hero’ dog, donning a Captain America tag on his collar.
“It’s truly a game changer for how we do business here,” Berlin said. “He puts everyone in a great mood, I don’t know what we would do without him.”
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