Erie County Courthouse donations help therapy dogs
March 30, 2020
Jurors can donate their daily pay to local charities.
A lot has changed at the Erie County Courthouse in just a few days.
As of Monday morning, all jury trials are suspended for a month to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the new coronavirus strain causing widespread shutdowns of businesses and schools.
But let’s take a moment to reflect on some good news. In January and February, before jury trials were suspended, jurors donated more than $6,500 to local charities as part of a new program introduced at the start of the year.
Under a streamlined new jury system, jurors are paid for their service using a prepaid debit card rather than a check. Jurors typically receive $9 per day for hearing a case.
Jurors can now choose to donate their pay to one of three local charities: Therapy Dogs United, a northwestern-Pennsylvania-based nonprofit that connects therapy dogs with those who need them; the Erie Community Foundation; or the United Way.
As of earlier this month, Erie County jurors donated $1,421 to the United Way, $1,288 to the Erie Community Foundation and a whopping $3,812 to Therapy Dogs United, according to numbers provided by Court Administrator Bob Catalde.
Erie County President Judge John J. Trucilla chose the charities with help from Judge John J. Mead, who is the administrative judge of the county’s trial division, and Judge Joseph M. Walsh, the administrative judge of the family division, Catalde said.
Therapy dogs provide an array of services at the courthouse. In 2016, I wrote about how they help out at Veterans Court, a diversionary program aimed at helping veterans avoid prison for certain crimes and get help addressing underlying issues, such as mental health problems or addiction.
Even in the best of times, a trip to the courthouse can be a stressful experience for members of the public. Petting a therapy dog can go a long way to ease that stress.
The new donation program allows jurors to give back to the same program that brings therapy dogs into the courthouse.
All that’s on hold for now while jury trials are suspended. But in these tough times, a little good news can’t hurt.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]
Students Get Therapy Dog
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]
Therapy Dogtor
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]
Therapy Dog Pups
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]
Puppy Cams
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]
Pet Committee
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]