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Shane Moves to Taos DA's Office

DA Staff

District Attorney, Donald Gallegos is pleased to welcome the furriest and friendliest employee to the Eighth Judicial District! SHANE, the courthouse dog has joined the District Attorney’s team and is assigned to work with our most vulnerable population, the children of Taos, Colfax, and Union counties. Shane is a highly trained, certified assistance dog who works as a team with trained handlers in the Victim-Witness Unit. Shane will provide comfort and emotional support to the children and their families, which will reduce anxiety and help calm the fears of the children. Shane will be available to meet with children and parents during the initial visit to the District Attorney’s office, when the victims and their parents meet with the prosecuting attorney and victim advocate. Shane’s presence and interaction with the child victim will provide emotional support and reduce tension inherent to the adversarial process of interviews with defense counsel and the investigation process.

Shane, a white and brown spotted Party Poodle, was selected by Assistance Dogs of the West and his “employment” is made possible by a grant from the Victims of Crime Act. Shane is the second courthouse dog that the Eighth Judicial District Attorney’s Office has had as a member of our team. Our first canine team member, a golden retriever named Sally, was a valuable therapeutic presence for many and one of the first assistance dogs utilized by a District Attorney’s office in New Mexico. Assistance dogs are now utilized in courthouses across New Mexico and courtrooms throughout the United States.

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