What may seem scary and intimidating to some children as they enter the Bartholomew County Juvenile Courtroom is about to get more comfortable as they are greeted with a new addition, a therapy dog.
Judge Lindsey Holden-Kay, the juvenile magistrate in Bartholomew Circuit Court, has taken the initial steps to bring a therapy dog into her courtroom on the third floor of the Bartholomew County Courthouse.
Her family has already adopted Stella, a 5-month-old golden retriever and poodle mix, that can be specifically trained as a therapy dog, the judge said.
Stella, whose breed is often referred to as a Goldendoodle, was chosen specifically by the judge because of her temperament traits that make her a suitable prospect for a therapy dog, according to her professional trainer, Sean Pendleton.
“Studies have shown that interacting with a dog can lower stress levels, as well as put people at ease,” Pendleton said. “The idea behind a therapy dog is to get people going through a troubling experience to take their mind off of their worries.”
Although the Bartholomew County Commissioners have not yet approved allowing a therapy dog in the courthouse, their decision won’t be needed for several months. Only 5 months old, Stella cannot be certified as a therapy dog until she is 1-year-old, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) coordinator Bobbie Shake said.
“So it will be close to the first of the year before we can hope to get her certified,” Shake said.
Pendleton is the owner of Guardian-K9, LLC, a canine boarding and training center at 3856 N. Indianapolis Road. The former police officer has been professionally training and caring for dogs since 2015.
“(Golden)doodles have gained a lot of popularity in recent years because they don’t shed much of their fur,” Pendleton said.
As Stella’s primary trainer, Pendleton says his main responsibility is to train her to be socially accepting of all different types of people.
That means not only making her comfortable around a large group of strangers, but to have those interactions in unfamiliar sites, sounds, smells, surfaces and obstacles, he said.
For those reasons, local residents can expect to be seeing Stella at a number of upcoming community events, Holden-Kay said.
Stella’s first big public outing will be at the JDAI-sponsored free event called “Law Enforcement and Me.” Scheduled for Thursday at Clifty Park from 5 to 8 p.m., the event encourages people of all ages to join local law enforcement officers in a variety of activities, Shake said.
If the dog is certified in December or January, and the county commissioners give their approval, Stella will be utilized to provide comfort to youthful offenders and victims frightened by their surroundings, the judge said.
While Holden-Kay said therapy dogs in courtrooms might seem new and progressive locally, a number of Indiana counties such as Brown, Clark and Lake are already using trained canines as therapy dogs.
Although some counties only use therapy dogs to comfort youthful victims in criminal cases, the AKC article states they’ve also been successfully used to put elderly witnesses at ease who are frightened to testify in court.
“In juvenile court, when you have kiddos that are in court a lot, it can be a very stressful experience,” Holden-Kay said. “But having that dog mellows out the children a little bit, and helps them relax at a time when they are probably not having their best day.”
So what exactly will Stella’s job be? To sit quietly next to a child in the courtroom, so they can pet and cuddle her during difficult times when tough questions are likely to be asked, the juvenile magistrate said.
“Fortunately, her demeanor is already that way,” Holden-Kay said. “She is naturally suited for this kind of work.”
Stella is going through obedience training such as basic commands (sit, stay, come, etc.) to ensure she remains manageable in the courtroom, Shake said.
The JDAI coordinator has been attending the training sessions, so that she can give commands to Stella when the dog’s owner, Judge Holden-Kay, is occupied with other matters, Shake said.
Stella might be especially helpful when young offenders begin to feel angry and defensive during juvenile proceedings, Shake said.
“Stella will provide the deescalation (calming impact) these kids need,” Shake said. “We’re hoping she will be able to be that comforting factor for those kids who are from hard places.”
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“Law Enforcement and Me” will be a three-hour community event intended to give local residents the opportunity to interact with local law enforcement officers in a fun and relaxed environment.
Free and open to all ages, the event will include food, games, prizes and balloon art. Sponsored by the Bartholomew County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, “Law Enforcement and Me” will be held Thursday, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Clifty Park, located across from Columbus East High School.
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