New facility dog joins Sarpy County Attorney’s Office

(Sarpy County, NE) -- The Sarpy County Attorney's Office is welcoming a new staff member.

The Sarpy County Attorney’s Office says Trio, a trained facility dog, joined the office earlier this month. The Attorney's Office says the 2-year-old dog’s work will include creating a sense of calm at the courthouse while also providing emotional support to crime victims and witnesses, especially children.

Chief of Staff Jean Brazda is Trio’s handler. The pair trained together in April at Canine Companions in New Albany, Ohio. “I’m proud that we’re able to provide a facility dog for crime victims who have experienced trauma. They need to know they are not going through the process alone,” Brazda said. Canine Companions is a national nonprofit organization that places both assistance and facility dogs. Their dogs go through 16 months of obedience and socialization training, then 6 months of intensive training geared toward the dog’s specific assignment. Canine Companions provided Trio to Brazda to use at the Sarpy County Attorney’s office at no cost.

Trio is Sarpy County’s second facility dog. Manny, the first courthouse facility dog in Nebraska, spent 8 years working in the County Attorney’s Office. He died in January. “For the past 8 years, we’ve seen first-hand the important role a facility dog can play in a courthouse setting,” said Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov. “We’re excited to have Trio at the Sarpy County Courthouse and know he’s going to do amazing work.”