Every year, children in America suffer the unthinkable: Many are permanently removed from their homes after suffering horrific acts of abuse by their caretakers. After months of therapy with professionals, they remain terrified and traumatized, unable to express what had happened to them. Unfortunately, the time then comes for them to testify in court, a task that seems to be impossible given their mental states. Unfortunately, this situation is common. But retired prosecuter Ellen O’Neill Stephens and veterinarian Celeste Walsen think they have found a solution: Bring dogs into the courtroom to comfort the witnesses. They started Courthouse Dogs, an organization that incorporates dogs into the courtroom to comfort witnesses.
