Therapy Dog Max  relaxes with his favourite toy – photo courtesy Prince George RCMP

Prince George, B.C.- Max, the Prince George RCMP Therapy Dog,  has  had  his first day in  Supreme Court,  giving support to a  young witness  in a  violent assault trial.This is new ground  for  this specially trained canine and the  Therapy Dog  program.   Although Max has  been working at the courthouse  earlier this year  offering pre-trial support for witnesses and victims, and in one case to a  juror during the Lakeland  explosion Coroner’s inquest. His first  court case had him  supporting  a young child who was testifying via closed circuit  television in April, But  being  in the courtroom  while a witness testified was a first for Max, and for  Northern  B.C.

It took time to prepare Max for this  job,  with training led by  Kirby MacInnes,  owner of  Pawsitive Horizons,  the  dog therapy agency.   Simulations of  an actual trial in a vacant courtroom were used to  help Max  practice his skills.

The witness, a 9 year old girl, met Max several months ago when she first witnessed the assault. She developed a good rapport with Max and was excited to have him with her as she took the stand. He makes me feel safe, and I wasn’t as scared said the child after the first part of her testimony. Throughout her testimony she reached down and patted Max and he would gaze back at her as she continued speaking. During the long waiting process between court sessions, the young client drew pictures of Max, made him do tricks, dressed him up in a shower cap and gave him a new name tag Chef Prince Max.

The Victim Services Therapy Dog program  was introduced in Prince George two years ago  and has been a great success with victims and witnesses of crime as well as within the police detachment itself.

The Therapy Dog K-9 Crisis Unit consisting of Max, the calm interview savvy office and court hound and Grimmus, the on-scene specialist, have blended into the Prince George detachment with ease, grace and enthusiasm. The program, developed in partnership with Pawsitive Horizons, has been the topic of  a thesis  project by Max’s owner Krista Levar.  Her thesis has since been published on the Canadian Federation of Animal Assisted Support Services’ website  as an effective model for crisis therapy work with dogs.