VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Meet Zuhey, the latest addition to the Virginia Beach Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney.
Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney Colin Stolle announced the addition of the new facility dog, who joined the office on June 16. She will work with prosecutors and support staff to comfort crime victims, according to a news release.
Zuhey is a 5-year-old Labrador Retriever. She received extensive training through Service Dogs of Virginia in Charlottesville, and works daily to ease anxiety for crime victims and witnesses during interviews and trial preparation.
"A lot of the victims and witnesses coming to the courthouse are coming here to re-live the worst moments of their life," Stolle said in the release. "Just Zuhey's presence gives people the ability to make it through these very difficult times."
Service Dogs of Virginia is a non-profit organization that raises, trains and places dogs to assist people with disabilities. It also provides facility dogs for courthouses, counseling centers, schools and other therapeutic settings, according to the release.
Zuhey also helps prosecutors and Commonwealth's Attorney's Office staff to manage vicarious or secondary trauma associated with the nature of their jobs, according to the release.
"My staff and attorneys in the office everyday deal with secondary trauma through all of the cases they deal with," Stolle said. "Their eyes light up when Zuhey makes her rounds through the office. We feel so lucky to be able to provide this experience to the citizens of Virginia Beach, but also to the members of the office."
Zuhey resides with her primary handler, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Robin Bland. During the workday, she spends time in the Victim-Witness Office with her secondary handler, Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Patrick Connolly.