Dogs in the Courthouse?

Who let the dogs out??

Well, it may be the case that courthouses will now let dogs into courthouses to serve as emotional support for witnesses in traumatic cases. Just last month in Pennsylvania, a 15 year-old, autistic girl was allowed to sit with a dog provided by the local police while giving her testimony for a murder.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the murder conviction, but dogs in the courthouse can be rather controversial. Some argue that having an emotional support animal can help calm down the witness and allow them to give a more reliable and accurate testimonial. However, some people think that the presence of an emotional support animal makes the witness seem vulnerable and paints the defendant in a very negative light. The presence of the dog may sway jurors to empathize with the witnesses and be convinced of the defendant’s guilt.

What do you think? Do you believe that the presence of emotional support animals in the courthouse bias the opinion of judges or do you think they can sometimes be necessary for witnesses to give an accurate and calm testimonial?