In this Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019 photo, Hatty’s primary handler and victim witness specialist Stephanie Coehlo, left, holds the black lab as Hatty is sworn in by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. (Camille Fine / Chicago Tribune via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) — It was a real dog of a ceremony this week during a swearing-in at the state’s attorney’s office in Chicago.
The newly sworn-in worker is a Labrador retriever named Hatty. The 2-year-old will be on a 9-to-5 human schedule. But she’s being asked to work like a dog, to just do what comes naturally to most dogs: show affection.
Her job is to ease the strain of criminal proceedings on young children and those with mental-health issues who have been victims of assault. She’ll handle up to 200 cases annually.
Hatty is the office’s first emotional-support dog and was trained partly by inmates.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx presided over Tuesday’s swearing-in. Hatty stood on her hind legs over a table and placed her paw across a law book as an oath was administered.
