Dog Is Sworn Into Illinois State's Attorney's Office To Provide Support For Sexual Assault Victims

November 18, 2019

A black lab named Hatty has been officially sworn into a state's attorney's office in Illinois.

dog to provide support for sexual assault victims

The 2-year-old dog became the newest member of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office on Tuesday, placing her right paw over a law book during the ceremony.

Hatty will provide support to children who are victims of sexual assault, according to State's Attorney Kim Foxx.

dog to provide support for sexual assault victims

"Coming to this work with compassion and understanding of victims' experiences helps to ensure the system is fair and just to everyone," Fox said on Twitter. "Hatty was trained to help provide comfort and relaxation while victims are in the courthouse or while they are giving their testimony."

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office says Hatty will handle between 150-200 cases a year.

"The newest hire at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office is a 2-year-old black Labrador trained by men's prison inmates in southwestern Illinois. The goal is to help sexual assault victims cope with the worst moments of their lives," the Cook County office said in a tweet.