The Children's Advocacy Center has been excited about the possibility of allowing dogs to help children through abuse cases and now the DeWitt, McLean and Livingston County offices have welcomed a 2-year lab-retriever, Joch (right), to their staff.

 

Joch's day-handler, Stephanie Jewitt says Joch is going to be at the office to support kids in a way that sometimes can't be explained.

 

 

Joch wasn't just handed over to Jewitt and the folks at the Children's Advocacy Centers. According to Jewitt, there was a two-week intensive training that taught them to do basic things like feed or walk the dog.

 

 

Joch is a fully trained service dog, which means he can do things a service dog can do that usually works with one individual all the time. However, Jewitt notes, Joch is going to have a unique purpose in that he will be helping dozens of kids.

 

 

Joch has started to show Jewitt and his night-time handler, Jake Harlow, he knows when it is time for him to work and when he can be a two-year-old lab who still shows signs of being a puppy.

 

 

According to Children's Advocacy Center Executive Director, Judy Brucker, research has shown service dogs in a courtroom setting, and Illinois law now allows, is very comforting for young kids who have to testify in abuse cases.

 

 

Jewitt says Joch still shows signs of being a two-year old lab but both she and Brucker says Joch is already showing why he was brought to the center.

 

Picture right: Judy Brucker (left), Stephanie Jewitt (center) and Joch (right).

 

When Joch is in the courtroom, it will not be an announced presence, in fact, the jury will likely not even know Joch is in the room.