I hope to get a canine interview soon by phone, Zoom, or in person. Meanwhile, this is a great story:
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has a special new team member: a dog named Jellybean! Jellybean is part black Labrador and part Golden Retriever. Prosecutor Kym Worthy has always wanted a dog to help people who come to court, especially kids and adults who might be nervous or scared.
Jellybean didn’t start out as a court dog. She came from Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan, where she had two years of special training. But Jellybean had a habit of stopping while walking, so she was moved to a new program called the Canine Advocacy Program (CAP) at CARE House of Oakland County.
In February 2023, Mark Hindelang, who works at the prosecutor’s office, and his family adopted Jellybean. Every day, Jellybean goes to work with Mark. When they get there, she meets her handler, Child Advocate Jamie Buchholtz. Jellybean gets ready for work by putting on her neckerchief, and then she helps people who have to go to court. She walks with them, stays by their side, and makes them feel better with her calm presence.
Jellybean needed extra training to be a court dog. She had to learn not to get distracted in court, to walk nicely on a leash, and to stay still even if Jamie isn’t in sight. Wayne County Court Services helped by letting Jellybean practice in an empty courtroom. She did great and became an official court dog in April. Jamie still trains her twice a week to keep her skills sharp.
Thanks to a Michigan law, Jellybean can be in court when kids under 16 are testifying. But she also helps with other cases. She’s been to pretrial interviews with kids, adults who have been hurt, and even witnesses to serious crimes. Jellybean doesn’t need to be in the courtroom to help; just having her nearby makes people feel better.
Jamie Buchholtz, Jellybean’s handler, says, “Seeing how Jellybean calms down nervous kids and adults is amazing.”
It’s important to know that Jellybean is a service dog, not just a pet or a therapy dog for the office. She’s there to help crime victims and witnesses, and everyone at the office respects her important job.
Prosecutor Kym Worthy is very happy to have Jellybean on the team. She says, “I’ve wanted a canine advocate for a long time, and Mark and Jamie have worked hard to make this happen. Jellybean is already making a big difference by helping kids and adults feel more comfortable in court. We’re excited to have her with us for many years.”
Welcome to the team, Jellybean!
DETROIT (FOX 2) – A black Labrador and golden retriever mix named Jellybean has an important job – comforting crime victims and witnesses while they are going through legal proceedings in Wayne County.
Jellybean was trained at Leader Dogs for the Blind before going to the Canine Advocacy Program (CAP), which is managed out of CARE House of Oakland County. Then, earlier this year she was adopted by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office’s chief of information and technology, Mark Hindelang.
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