SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh has enlisted the services of a 2-year-old black Labrador-retriever mix named Adam VII to lend support to victims, witnesses and their families.
Adam will work under the guidance of Avery, the prosecutor’s 12-year-old service dog, who is ready to ease into retirement after assisting victims for more than a decade, the prosecutor’s office said in a release.
The Summit County Prosecutor is now the only prosecutor’s office in Ohio to have two dogs on staff, Walsh said.
The Summit County prosecutor also was the first in Ohio to bring on a service animal in 2013, when Avery arrived, Walsh said.
Since then, Avery has supported victims when they testified in court in nearly 50 cases, she said. He has worked with 278 victims in 222 cases, with 215 of those victims younger than 18.
Both support dogs were trained at no cost by Canine Companions, a service-dog training company with locations around the U.S.
Pet Supplies Plus is providing Adam’s food, grooming and supplies, and Stow Kent Animal Hospital will provide Adam’s veterinary care free as well, she said.
Avery has done “tremendous work” during his service, Walsh said, and Adam is trained to do the same.
“When I first decided to get a facility dog for the prosecutor’s office, many people questioned me and even pushed back on the idea of bringing a dog into court,” she said. “But after seeing Avery at work, I can’t imagine not having a facility dog to help crime victims, especially children.”
Like Avery, Adam will offer emotional support mostly to children and developmentally disabled adults who are victims of crime or are witnesses, Walsh said.
Victims and witnesses are often traumatized when they come to the prosecutor’s office because of the serious nature of the crimes her office prosecutes, so the dogs help calm them.
Adam will be with victims and witnesses every step of the way, accompanying them to meetings, court appearances, trials and sentencings, Walsh said.
Avery attends the Turning Point Program, Summit County Court of Common Pleas’ drug court, as well as Valor Court, which handles veterans, she said. Graduates of those programs receive a special treat from Avery.
Both dogs have social media profiles: Adam’s journey is on Facebook and Instagram @SCPOAdam. Avery is also on Facebook and Instagram @averyscpo.
