A Growing Legacy of Comfort:  The Evolution of Animal Therapy in the Second Judicial Circuit

By Anne Munson, Development Officer

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation

If you walk through the Second Judicial Circuit these days, the atmosphere feels a little different than it did two decades ago. Amidst the high-stakes litigation and the frantic pace of the Clerk’s office, you’re likely to encounter a calm, four-legged professional with a wagging tail and a TMH vest.

What started in 2007 as a quiet, first-of-its-kind experiment has blossomed into a cornerstone of our local legal community. Today, the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) Animal Therapy Florida Courthouse Therapy Dog Program isn’t just a “nice to have” volunteer service—it’s a global model for how to bring a little more humanity into the justice system.

A Legacy of “Firsts”

Back in 2007, the Second Judicial Circuit became home to the first court-sponsored animal therapy program in Florida (and one of the first in the world). Since then, TMH Animal Therapy’s presence there has grown from a small pilot project into one of the oldest and most robust programs on the map. Just a couple of years ago, Chief Judges James Hankinson and Jonathan Sjostrom presided over a swearing-in ceremony that actually set a world record: Eighteen courthouse therapy dogs and their handlers took the oath at once. It was a powerful visual of just how much this program has been woven into the fabric of our courts. Volunteer teams spent 158 hours in the system during 2025 alone. As TMH Animal Therapy staff member Heather Van Liere put it, “We have come a long way since those first visits. We are more than just a familiar face—now, we are welcomed with open arms.”

The Word-of-Mouth Effect

One of the most interesting things about the program is how it grew. It wasn’t a top-down mandate; it was a grassroots movement.

Originally, the therapy dogs were there primarily to support children testifying in violent crime cases. But as people saw the impact, the “I want that, too” effect took over. Northeast Leon County court clerks heard about the dogs from their colleagues downtown. The State Attorney’s Office saw the therapy dogs working with Victim Advocates and realized its own staff could use that same emotional support.

Today, the program has expanded far beyond the witness stand. You’ll find our fifty active teams everywhere, providing much needed stress relief at the Clerk’s northeast branch office (look for the therapy dogs’ business cards lining the window), the State Attorney’s Office, court reporters’ offices, the Wakulla Dependency Docket, and at special events such as adoption hearings, reunification celebrations, and “Take Your Child to Work” Day.

The Professionals Behind the Paws

It takes more than a friendly disposition to be a Florida Courthouse Therapy Dog. After completing TMH Animal Therapy screening, training, certification and six months of general therapy work, interested teams go through an additional and rigorous vetting process that includes specialized classroom training and judicial background checks. And because TMH Animal Therapy does courthouse training every one to two years, the number of teams serving in this special capacity keeps growing.

This professional standard is why our local program leaders are now being tapped as experts on the international stage. Last July, Stephanie Perkins, TMH Animal Therapy Director, and Chuck Mitchell, President of Florida Courthouse Therapy Dogs and longtime volunteer himself, hosted a webinar for the International Association of Human Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) to teach programs around the world how to mirror the Second Circuit’s success.

Molly, A Familiar Face

For Karen Bodiford, the program’s value is personal. A sworn law enforcement officer for forty-six years and a retired captain, Karen now walks the courthouse halls with her partner Molly, a nine-year-old black Labrador retriever with gentle eyes and a sweet smile.

Karen and Molly usually visit the State Attorney’s office and court reporters to provide a little de-stressing relief. But Karen recalls bringing Molly to serve on a case involving adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. As the victims finally saw their case come to trial, which would force them to face their abuser and relive their trauma, Molly—typically a social butterfly— remained laser-focused.

“It was as if Molly realized they needed her,” Karen said. “She was so attentive, as if to say, ‘I am here for you.'”

“I wish this was available when I worked these cases in the field,” Karen says. “It serves such a great purpose. I want to keep raising awareness about the benefits of animal therapy, in the courthouse, within law enforcement and emergency services, and throughout our community.”

A Culture of Comfort

Additionally, thanks to The Florida Bar Animal Law Section and Pets Ad Litem, the therapy program can comfort children testifying against their abusers with a “Rikki SuperPup,” a small plush toy pup the children can bring into the courtroom with them while their courthouse therapy dog waits outside. With the Section’s help and the support of community donors, over 2000 larger Rikki SuperPups are given by TMH annually to children who arrive in the emergency room. And over 100 more are given to students, who practice reading to therapy dogs to increase their reading skills through READ programs in schools. Wherever a SuperPup is given, a child can take the comfort of animal therapy home.

The Second Judicial Circuit has proven that justice can be as supportive as it is systematic. As we look ahead, it’s clear that the “familiar faces” of the TMH Animal Therapy teams are here to stay, making our legal system just a little bit kinder, one visit at a time.

For more about TMH Animal Therapy news or Rikki SuperPup, contact the TMH Foundation at anne.munson@TMH.ORG or 850-431-4048.