LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – The ball is rolling in Lebanon County to potentially add a facility dog to help out in the Courthouse with individuals who may have anxiety or are too nervous to share information.

“If it helps one person, it’s obviously worth it,” Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz said.

“I think one of the things when we’re looking at the dogs that are going to work in a courthouse is it’s a dog who kind of likes to work the crowd,” Deb Tack, the executive director for Susquehanna Service Dogs, said.

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That’s where the county is looking: Susquehanna Service Dogs. The organization has provided courthouse dogs to surrounding Lancaster and York Counties, along with others around the Commonwealth.

“They start out here as puppies pretty much from the day they’re born and at about 8 to 9 weeks old, they go to the home of one of our volunteer puppy raisers,” Tack said. “That is where they’ll spend about a year and a half learning their basics and practicing good house manners.”

After that, the dogs go through a professional training to see what job will fit them best.

“They really get to figure out what a dog is good at, what they like to do, and then matching them up with potential partners such as a courthouse,” Tack said.

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For courthouse facility dogs, they are trained on laying their chin on someone’s lap. It offers a chance for someone with anxiety to rub the dog.

Also, the dog can lay on someone’s legs to provide comfort.

“Think of him as a very fluffy weighted blanket,” Tack said.

Even in the most serious environments these animals can provide a calming environment.

“I can see where children especially would just welcome a hug from a dog, a little lick or whatever it is,” Litz said.

Susquehanna Service Dogs is about to receive more litters of puppies. If you are interested in volunteering as a puppy raiser, click here.

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