Meet Zoom, the new therapy canine in Branch County's prosecutor's office
BRANCH COUNTY — When Zoom, the golden retriever, starts work at the Branch County Courthouse, he won’t be a pet.
Prosecutor Zack Stempien will bring the dog into his office as a certified service dog, a therapy canine.
Several Michigan counties have such animals to work with child victims of sexual assault to lessen the stress and trauma that can result from confronting their abusers.
“Michigan law allows us to use these canines in child abuse cases, sexual assault cases, and things of that nature," Stempien wrote in a memo to county commissioners. "The statute cited in the agreement says that the court has to allow me to have the canine in the courtroom if we wish to do so."
Last week, the prosecutor brought in three children to testify in ongoing sexual assault or child abuse cases.
Stempien said the dog could go to the child advocacy center, opened now in Branch County on Michigan Avenue. Investigators interviewed between 70 and 80 children last year in that facility.
“We're working with them as well to take the canine over to that center as well to be available for them to use over there.”
“The main idea is that you bring the canine in when you have children or vulnerable adult victims," Stempien said. "They help relax the child or the vulnerable adult, and they help them be able to testify or explain what happened to them.”
Stempien will purchase the dog for $6,500 from Magnum K-9. Owner Scott LaRoe trains K-9 dogs for area law enforcement. Money for purchase, maintenance and feeding the dog will come from local court forfeiture funds seized in criminal cases, meaning there is no cost to Branch County.
Zoom, once trained, will live with Stempien and his family. He admitted “I am not a dog person,” but will get training from LaRoe.
Like other therapy dogs, Zoom will come to the office to work.
The prosecutor talked to other offices who use therapy dogs. None reported any issues.
“This dog will be a very highly trained dog, be trained to stay on its cot when it's not interacting with the children. It's not going to be wandering around the courthouse.”
Stempien will place a sign in his office warning there is a therapy dog.
“Whenever somebody interacts with the dog, it's a completely consensual interaction.”
The agreement the prosecutor prepared for the county looks at the possibility he might not be re-elected next year or leave the job.
“That’s not my intention,” he said.
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Since the dog is trained with him, he would buy the dog at a price based on a seven-year depreciation. Most police and service dogs are retired after seven years, but some serve longer.
“There are there is a lot of research that I won't go into, that does show that this is a very effective way to utilize the dog. I think it'll be very beneficial for victims and overall, for the cases,” Stempien said.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Meet Zoom, the new therapy canine in Branch County's prosecutor's office
