Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/district-attorney-dog/

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Her name is Ashes. She’s my colleague. I love that I get to say that. Ashes works with me at the Elko County District Attorney’s Office. She brings joy to her coworkers in the DA’s office, and she reduces tension in court for everyone involved. Ashes has positively impacted the lives of many people, and that’s only been possible because Mountain Humane never gave up on her.

Last Christmas, I decided to rescue a dog. I found Ashes on Petfinder, and reached out to Mountain Humane. Ashes was their longest resident at the shelter. I knew that Ashes needed me. The shelter was a four-hour drive away so they met me halfway, and I got my brown-eyed girl. Because Ashes had been at the shelter so long, I was hesitant to leave her unsupervised. My plan was to bring her to work just long enough for her to adjust and become comfortable with her new life. I was her new tattoo – she was stuck with me permanently. That plan quickly changed because I kept getting emails from my coworkers writing about how nice it was to have an office dog. I thought if there are police dogs, why not prosecutor dogs?

Ashes became an office therapy dog (and my hiking companion). She makes people laugh, which is invaluable in a high-stress job. My fellow prosecutors seek Ashes out after trial, saying: “I just need to pet a dog right now.” Ashes improves the mental health of the office, and in return she is treated like a part of the team – including getting her share of pizza at office lunches.

Ashes also accompanies me to court. Her effect is palpable. Tension in the courtroom drops when people see a dog walking around. I see the defendants smile when they look at Ashes. Attorneys and law enforcement compete for her attention. When they pet Ashes, I frequently hear: “That just made my day.” Criminal justice is a stressful occupation, and Ashes brings joy to counter the anger and worry. Ashes has made me realize that every courthouse needs a dog.

She has helped more people than I could count, and this is only because Mountain Humane never gave up on her. As their longest resident, she obviously required the most resources. And shelters never have enough funding. One animal can help many, many people. The impact of adopting a shelter pet spreads out like ripples on a pond.

Story submitted by Mountain Humane.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog