Dogs are heroes in their own right.
When their hearts feel for their humans, they will defend and save them whatever it takes. They are their source of strength and comfort, too.
In the United States, dogs can be a great help in courtrooms despite being heavily debated.
Some prosecutors disagree with the use of dogs in courtrooms, saying that their presence can sway the jury’s or judge’s ruling.
They also said dogs remove the stress factor when one gives a testimony making it easier for someone to lie.
However, dogs have proven to calm victims of abuse, especially children. According to reports, a child was able to remain engaged in a pre-trial interview for an hour in the presence of a dog to calm her down – which is pretty amazing given the trauma they’ve been through. This is more than amazing; it’s heroic.
And Patriot is one heck of a hero.
This husky is a therapy dog and has helped different cases in Orange County, California. Since 2015, he’s been working with children and adults in hospice care, retirement homes, children with special needs, domestic violence shelters, and brain trauma units, to name a few. But as you can see, he has his battle scars, too.
Patriot knows how to comfort others because he knows what pain feels like.
He was just four months old when he was rescued, but he was severely abused. The veterinarian that attended to him said that his muzzle was tightly wrapped with a metal wire, leaving him permanent scars.
His owner, Kevin Marlin, adopted Patriot. However, he had trust issues.
Kevin found a way around it, though. He gained Patriot’s trust by placing peanut butter on his fingers and letting him lick it. Through time, Patriot learned that Kevin is a friend and won’t hurt him.
Kevin also found out Patriot’s special power.
He knows how to soothe someone’s pain. He saw this effect on his son, Tyler, who was autistic. Miraculously, Patriot’s “healing” power reduced Tyler’s medications.
He thought of training Patriot for OCSPCA’s therapy program.
And according to Kevin, it was something that naturally came out of Patriot. He easily passed the program in just a year. For Kevin, he thinks this adorable dog just wants to start right away and help others.
Because of this, Patriot helped many children testify against their abusers.
Kevin told People:
“Kids sit and pet him while they talk to attorneys and investigators, and they immediately feel more comfortable. Reliving what happened to them is difficult, but he helps them to feel calm and gives them courage and strength.”
Orange County’s PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support) Assist the Needs of the District Attorney (PANDA) Program could credit their success to Patriot and 13 other therapy dogs.
According to PANDA Program Manager Alicia Nicosia:
“This successful program is helping to promote justice with compassion.”
Because of their program, they provided support to children who are victims of sexual assault. It helped children calm down, feel less afraid to testify, and gave them strength because these dogs provide them with that sense of security and safety.
We hope that this will become a positive trend all over the country.
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