A state’s attorney’s office in Illinois has welcomed its newest member: Hatty the black lab.
The 2-year-old dog was sworn into the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office on Tuesday, placing her right paw over a law book during the ceremony.
Hatty will join the office to provide support to children who are victims of sexual assault, according to State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
“Coming to this work with compassion and understanding of victims’ experiences helps to ensure the system is fair and just to everyone,” Fox said on Twitter. “Hatty was trained to help provide comfort and relaxation while victims are in the courthouse or while they are giving their testimony.”
Hatty is expected to handle between 150 to 200 cases each year, according to Cook County.
She is the office’s first therapy dog and was trained by inmates through the group called Duo, which is an assistance dogs provider and training organization based in St. Louis, Missouri.
“We are proud to have a resource like Hatty to provide a source of comfort for victims as they navigate this difficult process,” the Cook County office said in a tweet.
