More law courts in France to use ‘calming’ dogs after trial success

Specially trained dogs are to be used in law courts across France to calm witnesses and victims after the success of a labrador named Lol in a trial in Cahors in the Lot department.

The justice minister said he wants to have 100 court dogs, roughly one for each department, and the ministry has provided funding to the association Handi’chiens for this to happen.

Handi’chiens is Lol’s owner and worked out the details of the successful trial with the then prosecutor in Cahors, Frédéric Almendros.

“People often think that having a dog in the court is just a gadget,” said Mr Almendros, who was at the ceremony where the extension of the project was announced.

“It has been proved that having a dog is not at all a gadget, and it is a partner for judicial institutions because, obviously, it does not have the same outlook as a human.”

He added: “The dog is a living psychological comfort which does not judge you.”

The trial in Cahors, which started in 2020, worked out the practical and legal setting for using dogs.

The consent of the victim or the witness is needed but it was found there were relatively few cases where, if given the option of meeting Lol, they said they do not want to.

Presence of a dog can ‘make all the difference’

“The majority of the cases where he is used are those involving children or younger teenagers, who can easily be overwhelmed by the surroundings and procedures of a formal interview or court proceedings,” said a Handi’chiens spokesman.

“Having a friendly, empathetic dog by their side makes all the difference.”

Dogs are widely used in law courts in the United States and Mr Almendros thought that they might be of use in France also.

He contacted Handi’chiens which was set up to provide assistance dogs for people in wheelchairs or with conditions like epilepsy.

Lol, a black Labrador, who had gone through special training to show empathy for humans, was chosen for the trial and proved to be a big success.

Before he started work bureaucratic hurdles about where he would live had to be addressed. It was thought he would stay with the Gendarmes, who have kennels for their tracking and drug and explosives sniffer dogs, but regulations forbid the Gendarmes from housing any dog they have not trained themselves.

Eventually it was determined that this rule did not apply to the fire service so Lol has lodged with the pompiers, also occasionally doing work with them when they have situations with distressed people, who are calmed by the presence of a friendly dog.

Initially it was thought that Lol’s work would be limited to the waiting rooms of the courts, and not in the actual courtroom. However during trials he proved that he was able to be quiet and not disturb proceedings.

“He sits quietly at the side of the victim or witness, but I have seen him react and nuzzle or rub gently against people when they are becoming tense and upset and it does seem to calm them down, so they can carry on with their testimony or listen to the trial,” the Handi’chiens spokesman said.

Rules also had to be established as to who would have a decision on whether a courtroom dog might be of use in cases, and it has been established that it is the prosecutor who has the final decision.

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