Marie-Claude Lebret, 72 years old, is not at its first attempt. After having introduced the first assistance dogs for the disabled in France at the end of the 1980s, it has today taken up a new challenge which was launched to it by the public prosecutor of Cahors. Educating a dog who stands by the victims most impressed by the legal system, especially children, soothes them during hearings and judgment, often also frees their speech.
"At the time, we only knew guide dogs"
"Until the age of about 40, I led the life of a woman like the others, married, mother of two children and teacher of biology in an agricultural high school. And one evening in 1986, everything changed! I was watching on television a report going on in the United States showing a quadriplegic woman in her chair, accompanied on the street by her service dog. I was overwhelmed by these images, by the way in which this Labrador attracted on her mistress the benevolent glances of the passers-by and allowed her to get in touch with the outside. I saw the dog pick up an object that she had dropped, open a door and call the elevator. I was fascinated In France at that time, we only knew guide dogs for the blind. At this precise moment, a project was imposed on me: I was going to "import" with us these assistance dogs for the disabled.
"In 1989, I packed my bags for the United States!"
The next day, I contacted the American association that trained these "helper dogs". I asked her director to welcome me on an internship to teach me her method. She made me wait three years! Obstinate, I relaunch it regularly and in the meantime, I took English lessons to be up to date. In 1989, finally, I packed my bags for the United States for a first internship, then a second year next. In parallel, I found the association which will later become Handi'Chiens, I raise funds, I buy puppies, I recruit host families for their first months of education, I open a center where animals finalize their training. And in 1991, we gave our first service dogs free of charge to disabled people.
"I experience intense emotion with each delivery of dogs"
Since that date, Handi'Chiens has grown steadily and to date, we have handed over 2,500 dogs! Not only to people in wheelchairs but also to children with autistic disorders or suffering from Down's syndrome, to establishments welcoming the elderly, to patients with epilepsy to detect their crises beforehand, even to a victim of post-traumatic stress. For each of these "profiles", we have imagined a specific training protocol so that the dog is able to respond to specific needs. With each delivery of dog, it is an intense emotion because we know with which impatience the person awaited his animal, to which point this one will turn upside down his life and how much their relation will be beautiful, rich and tender!
"The dog frees the speech of the victims"
Being always open to new things, I welcomed with great interest two years ago the request of the public prosecutor of Cahors: he wanted a legal aid dog to be trained in one of our Handi 'centers Dogs (1). This concept, unknown until then in France, is well established in the United States where 250 of these animals already exercise. Studies conducted across the Atlantic have shown that such a dog helps victims of violence to verbalize what they have suffered and frees their speech, especially when it comes to children. His presence gives them confidence and soothes them during hearings, expert opinions, re-enactments and of course during the trial. For children, finding themselves immersed in legal proceedings adds to the violence already experienced. And when their parents are involved, they can also find themselves trapped in terrible loyalty disputes. Providing them with a little companion who will support them in this ordeal therefore seemed to me to be an important human issue. With two educators, Florian and Stéphanie, we said banco!
"We chose Lol, a labrador with a good soft look"
We had to find the "good" dog, one that would have all the qualities required to fulfill this somewhat special mission. It took a calm dog, which does not bark at the slightest door that closes, at the slightest rustle of an avocado robe! It also needed a reassuring dog, almost like a plush to inspire confidence in children. Above all, we had to find an empathetic animal, capable of feeling the emotions of the victims, their fear, their sadness and who would let themselves be caressed and cuddled. Among a whole panel of puppies, we chose Lol, a labrador with good soft look and drooping ears, sociable and observant. We didn't educate him in technical gestures like picking up an object or opening a door, but in psychological work: supporting the morale of the victims, showing them affection, listening to their secrets. We notably made him work by simulating auditions.
"Sometimes the child speaks directly to Lol!"
After two years of education, Lol is now operational. Whenever he considers it necessary, the prosecutor brings him to court to assist a victim. Previously of course, the child is asked if he agrees. Then a meeting is organized between him and Lol so that they get to know each other, spend a little time together. Only then, the auditions begin. Generally, Lol lies down against the child, he can even put his muzzle on his lap and watch him with intensity. At each testing stage of the procedure, the child knows that his boyfriend Lol will be there, to give him strength and courage. It is an extremely reassuring landmark for him. Sometimes the child even speaks directly to the dog during the auditions!
"Soon other legal aid dogs"
When Lol is not in court, he stays at home, in the Cahors fire station. The latter volunteered to offer him room and board. He shares their physical training and comforts them when they come back from an intervention that shook them. Other courts across France have already contacted us to also have their legal aid dog. If the experiment currently carried out with Lol in Cahors is judged conclusive by the Ministry of Justice, we could therefore soon be called upon to train other dogs ".
(1) The project is supported by the Adrienne and Pierre Sommer Foundation, which works to develop animal mediation.
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