The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office recently welcomed a new member to its K9 Victim Support Program, a group that assists crime victims. The program is sponsored by PetSmart Inc.
Tori is the newest member of the K9 Victim Support Program (submitted photo).
Tori, a 4-year-old English Labrador Retriever service dog, was officially “sworn in” by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. She will provide comfort and support to young and adult crime victims during the criminal justice process, following in the paw steps of Sam, a Golden Retriever-Irish Setter mix who continues to serve in the County Attorney’s K9 VSP.
“At PetSmart, we know the healing power of pets and the positive impact they have on both children and adults,” said Brad Kiesling, director of Government Affairs for PetSmart. “We’re proud to partner with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office on its K9 Victim Service Program and look forward to watching this important program grow.”
As a Victim Support K9, Tori has received specialized training to allow her to accompany crime victims at meetings, depositions and court hearings related to their cases. Like her counterpart Sam, Tori is certified as a level III Facility Dog. Funds donated by PetSmart pay for food and supplies for both K9s.
More information about Sam and Tori is available on their respective Facebook pages: SamTheDogsPage and ToriTheDogsPage.
