This week’s news from the CertaPet team and the Emotional Support Animal world is an extremely serious one as it deals with a judicial trial involving a minor. However, it also represents the benefits of having ESAs when they are used in legitimate contexts. Read on to discover more!
Content warning: Discussion of a court case involving sexual abuse of a minor, with minimal details.
Criminal Case In Westchester Becomes A Watershed Moment After The Victim Testifies With The Aid Of A Therapy Animal for Emotional Support, Leading To A Conviction
Being the victim of a crime is traumatizing enough, but the situation can become even more challenging when the victim is a minor. That’s likely why the Westchester County District Attorney’s office recently emphasized using a therapy dog as an emotional support for the first time in county court history.
The dog was brought in during a criminal trial to assist a child victim in testifying about their sexual abuse. A two-year-old Labrador named Eddie supported a seven-year-old girl during her testimony in October, which led to a guilty verdict against 52-year-old Wilson Frias.
Prosecutors disclosed that Frias had been a detective with the New York Police Department for 18 years. The jury concluded that Frias had sexually assaulted the child during a playdate at a Briarcliff Manor home in March 2023.
“She was very nervous about testifying and extremely reluctant to face her abuser in court,” Senior Westchester County Assistant District Attorney Charlotte Gudis stated. “When we introduced her to Eddie and suggested the idea of Eddie supporting her, she really lit up. She and Eddie bonded immediately.”
Children are sensitive to their environment, and a courtroom’s atmosphere can be intimidating without having to recall painful memories in front of strangers. But, thankfully, Eddie’s presence helped put the child at ease and eventually led to a guilty verdict for Frias. He was sentenced to five years in prison, 10 years of post-release supervision, and registering as a sex offender.
This trial was the first time in Westchester County that the court allowed the use of a therapy dog as an emotional support device to accompany the victim in a criminal case. It’s also the second such instance statewide. However, it’s plain to see that allowing such assistance in distinct cases can help improve prosecution processes.
Tuckahoe Police Department Chief Larry Rotta handled Eddie, who officially became a court-certified support animal in July. In addition to his courtroom role, Eddie has also provided emotional support to the Tuckahoe community and police department members.
Rotta stated that Eddie has been trained to sense when someone is experiencing a post-traumatic stress episode or grief. He explained that Eddie is well-versed in helping the residents of Westchester County in various ways.
Using certified support animals to assist victims is not entirely new in Westchester County. The district attorney’s office first implemented the practice in 2020 with its 6-year-old black Labrador, Lewis.
Lewis had been raised and trained by Canine Companions for Independence, with funding provided via donations. Assistant DA Gudis stressed that the support these animals provided to victims was invaluable. “We hope it allows people to feel that if they came forward about a crime, the prosecutors in Westchester County would do absolutely everything to make them feel at ease,” she said.
The scope for allowing therapy dogs and potentially ESAs in such settings is boundless, seeing as how they can help instill a sense of safety and calm during an extremely high-stress inducing experience. Reducing the stigma around testifying by promoting emotional support and companionship might encourage witnesses to come forward with their tales and help the law take its course.
Source: News12
CertaPet’s Thoughts on This Week’s News
This landmark case in Westchester, perfectly showcases how when used conscientiously and in the appropriate situations, therapy dogs can create a huge impact in people’s lives and even help the judicial system run more efficiently. Emotional support animals and therapy dogs like Lewis and Eddie are helping transform the way trauma victims move through the judicial process by offering comfort when they need it most. This can’t be praised enough.
Getting an emotional support animal as part of your treatment care plan has never been easier. If you’re living with emotional or mental health challenges, ESAs could ease your symptoms and help you live a happier, fuller life. If you’re ready to start the process, take our 5-minute pre-screening test for free. We’ll connect you with a licensed mental health professional, who will have a consultation with you. Then, if you qualify, you’ll get your Emotional Support Animal letter in no time.