The San Luis Obispo County courthouse will soon have a four-legged friend on staff.
The County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved funding for a courthouse dog.
District Attorney Dan Dow says he has been trying to get a courthouse dog for about seven years, and a $5,000 donation from the Sheriff's Advisory Foundation helped make it a reality this year.
“When children come in to be interviewed about abuses that they've gone through, it's very difficult for them to open up. Studies have shown that an animal present with them allows them to kind of relax and speak more freely and feel comfortable in that particular environment,” Dow told KSBY News.
The dog will also be used in the courtroom to help children and victims feel more comfortable, especially when testifying.
Dow says his office will become one of 15 DA offices in California with a certified courthouse dog program.
The dog is expected to arrive in early November.
