Legal Assistance Dogs

The legal assistance dog is a professional social support dog, specially trained to accompany and morally support beneficiaries (mostly children and women having experienced traumatic situations) during the different stages of the legal procedure.

Its selection is subject to a rigorous examination carried out by the association Handi'Chiens - a public utility association that trains and gives assistance dogs free of charge.

The breeds chosen for their physical and behavioural qualities are Labradors and Golden Retrievers, which are very sympathetic to humans and have a reputation for being very sociable. The dog follows a complete 2-year training program adapted to its future role, during which he learns about 50 commands. A legal assistance dog must stay calm in all circumstances and not react (bark) if any tension arises during a judicial act (agitation, raising of voice).

Participating in a court hearing or other forms of legal proceedings can represent a high level of stress, because in addition to the trauma experienced, there is the trauma of dealing with investigators, investigating magistrates, the prosecutor/lawyer/judge trilogy, and the defendant, not to mention the steps taken in a hospital. The presence of a Legal Assistance Dog considerably softens these anxiety-provoking situations, helping the person to cope with the initial trauma, supporting him or her throughout the reconstruction process, and contributing to improving the quality of the legal process.

Accompaniment by a Legal Assistance Dog is freely chosen, and the protocol is developed on a case-by-case basis. A meeting time is scheduled to create a link and to give the person confidence. The courthouse dog is housed with specially trained referents who provide transportation and accompany the dog when his presence is requested; they also ensure that the dog practices daily the commands learned during the initial training.

Expansion to 14 courts: At the end of 2023, 14 Legal Assistance Dogs are on mission in France, in Cahors, Angers, Nevers, Strasbourg, Saint-Lô, Nîmes and Orléans, Vannes, Béziers, Brive-la-Gaillarde, Rennes, Nancy and La Roche sur Yon.

The Royal Canin Foundation is proud to support 4 dogs in Nîmes, Nevers, Orléans and Angers.

Confirmation by the Garde des Sceaux: The Legal Assistance Dog program has been confirmed and endorsed by the Garde des Sceaux (Minister of Justice). A national convention was signed in February 2023, indicating institutional recognition of the effectiveness and significance of this program.

Interinstitutional Collaboration: The project has brought together different institutions to collaborate on its deployment.

France Victimes implements the program through its network of 165 associations in France. Legal Assistance Dog are housed and accompanied by different entities depending on the case, by France Victimes Associations, firemen departments, or in medical-legal units. Sometimes, Legal Assistance Dogs are assigned to accompany beneficiaries outside their own department during trials where their presence is particularly beneficial. For example, Rancho from Nîmes and Ouchy from Nevers took part in the Millas trial in Marseille in 2022.

In the Gard department, SDIS 30 (Department Service of Fire and Rescue) as a respected organization in the field of safety and assistance, has played an important role in setting up the program, by training, hosting and supporting Rancho, the department's CAJ, in its missions.

Training and Deployment of Specialized Dogs: The Legal assistance dogs follow a specialized training for their roles. They undergo intensive training for 22 months, including a period with foster families and at the HANDI'CHIENS education center. These dogs are prepared to interact with all profiles of beneficiaries, and also judges, lawyers, investigators in diverse environments.

Positive Impacts on beneficiaries: Legal assistance dogs have brought concrete and positive results to beneficiaries, especially children. They have been described as "living comfort objects" that soothe, reassure, and help freeing the word. Feedback from experiences has shown that the presence of these dogs helped reduce fear, slow heart rate, and encourage speaking up.

Expansion of Interventions: The project evolved over time to include interventions with different audiences. For instance, Rancho expanded his interventions to support children in distress, victims of assaults. This expansion demonstrates the adaptability and effectiveness of the program.
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These achievements highlight that the legal assistance dog project successfully transformed the role of dogs into valuable support for victims of violence during legal proceedings, contributing to humanizing and improving the judicial process for those who need it most.