Dog who survived abuse now a service animal at El Paso DA’s office
Lauren Bly
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — A dog named Buddy has an important job at the El Paso District Attorney’s Office.
The small therapy dog works as a victim assistance companion alongside his handler, Lorena Garcia, helping crime victims through some of the hardest moments of their lives.
“A lot of times victims come for trials here in our office with the attorneys,” Garcia said. “And I take Buddy in the room, and immediately you can see a smile.”
Garcia said Buddy’s presence helps ease tension for victims meeting with prosecutors.
“Even though they’re going through such a hard time coming here and talking to the prosecutors, as soon as they see Buddy walking in, you can see a smile,” she said. “They start playing with him and interacting with him.”
Buddy has his own work station at the office and regularly visits attorneys, paralegals and staff throughout the building.
“He’s so loved,” Garcia said. “We tour the whole second floor. I think Buddy’s providing more emotional support to all of you.”
Buddy also served during emotional victim impact statements connected to the Aug. 3 mass shooting in El Paso.
“That was hard,” Garcia said. “He was in that courtroom many, many hours. By himself, he was getting close to the people that he felt needed him.”
Garcia said Buddy is uniquely suited for the role because he was once the victim of abuse himself.
“Him being a victim of abuse and then becoming a comfort dog, a therapy dog for victims of crime — I think that’s really awesome,” she said.
Garcia first saw Buddy on television in 2020.
“We saw a picture of him hanging from an iron with a very short leash on top of a box,” she said.
El Paso Animal Services rescued Buddy and partnered with local nonprofit Laws N Paws to help rehabilitate him.
“When Buddy was taken in, he was hospitalized for an extensive amount of time,” Laws N Paws volunteer Jasmine Gallardo said. “He was able to receive procedures and any type of treatment needed for him to heal.”
Gallardo said Buddy’s case began as neglect and escalated into abuse.
“At some point he was out there for such an extensive amount of time that the owner should have realized what was happening,” she said. “The owner was choosing to ignore it, which is where they were charged with animal abuse.”
Court records show Buddy’s former owner, Lupe Amalia Rodriguez, was charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals. She was ordered to pay fines and served several days in jail.
Garcia later delivered Buddy’s victim impact statement in court.
“I stood and I spoke on his behalf,” she said. “From being abused by her at her house, now Buddy is a therapy dog at the district attorney’s office.”
After completing rehabilitation through Laws N Paws, Buddy was recommended for therapy dog training after the DA’s office reached out looking for a service animal.
“It was because of his demeanor and also his size,” Gallardo said. “He is a smaller guy.”
Buddy passed his therapy dog exams and was officially sworn in at the DA’s office, with Garcia volunteering to become his handler.
“I feel very honored and very happy to be here,” Garcia said. “I guess it was meant to be.”
Garcia said Buddy still struggles with some trauma.
“He hears loud noises, he gets scared, and I just calm him down,” she said.
But despite that, Buddy has become a success story.
“He’s totally a success story,” Garcia said.