Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office introduces Germaine, a facility dog joining the Victim Assistance Program
By Sam Harasimowicz
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BATAVIA, Ohio (WCPO) — The Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office has a new team member, and he’s bringing a “cold nose and a warm heart.”
Germaine is a 2-year-old Labrador/retriever mix who’s found a new home at the prosecutor’s office in Batavia.
Prosecutor Mark Tekulve and Victim Advocate Allyson Ware brought Germaine onto their team through Canine Companions, which trains service dogs for all sorts of different duties.
Germaine is now a part of the Victim Assistance Program, which began in Clermont County in 1985 and has grown to include four full-time team members. Germaine brings that number up to five.
“He is able to really put, in particular, victims at ease,” Tekulve said.
I was there as Germaine traveled with Ware from the prosecutor’s office to the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office.
We went into what’s called a soft interview room, where Ware demonstrated how Germaine will provide comfort to victims during investigations and court proceedings.
“Some of his commands are providing deep pressure both on the lap while sitting and then also on the ground to assist with anxiety when it comes up,” Ware said.
Germaine practiced his “cover” command, where he rests on a person like a living, breathing heated blanket. Germaine practiced on Sgt. Yvonne Sheppard and me.
“Anything we can do as an office and as individuals to relieve some of the difficulty that these folks experience, we want to do,” Tekulve said.
In his first couple of weeks, Germaine has already been put to work, offering support in a recent case.
“We had a case; it was a domestic violence case, and I had previously met with the family, so they were already familiar with me,” Ware said. “When they saw him, they were just over the moon.”
Germaine is also being trained to sit and offer support inside the courtroom, where he’ll be present for victims who could be testifying for hours, according to Ware.
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