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New Illinois Law Allows Therapy Dogs In Court

Flickr user Sean Freese / "Day 116: "Alexis"" (CC V 2.0)

It can be scary for a victim of sexual abuse to have to testify about it in court. An Illinois law taking effect in 2016 is meant to give them comfort. 

With a judge's approval, kids will be able to have a therapy dog with them when they take the witness stand.

"You don't want it to be a sideshow in the courtroom; it has to be up to the level of decorum that we expect,” Senator Scott Bennett, the law's sponsor and a former prosecutor, said.

The Champaign Democrat says dogs can be trained to do that. This law requires participating dogs have to have graduated from a specific program.

Bennett says one of these dogs -- a young lab -- came to the capitol, for an early debate on the measure.

"And had him just sit in the well, throughout the entire hearing,” Bennett said. “And at one point one of the committee members, even mentioned that he was concerned about the dog's welfare, it was so docile, it was so calm."

Courts can also allow adults with intellectual disabilities to have a service dog at their side.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.