Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre introduces 2 new facility dogs, Moose and Zeppelin

Two new service dogs are joining the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre. This comes after Captain, the centre’s only active service dog until now, supported over 600 children in court and at the centre.

By CityNews Staff

Moose and Zeppelin are the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre’s two newest facility dogs.

The centre supports child victims of abuse navigating the court system and now these two golden labs will join the centre’s go-to service dog, captain, in answering children’s calls for help.

Last year, Captain, who was the Zebra Centre’s only active service dog until now, supported over 600 children in court and at the centre.

“He is in high demand. He’s probably in court at least three times a week, but soon enough, we’ll have all three going to and from,” explained Stephanie Franks, the director of child and youth supports at the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre.

Support dogs at the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre. (Photo Credit: Elliott Knopp, CityNews)

Facility dogs were introduced in 2013 to help kids navigate the court system, and comfort children sharing their experiences with counsellors.

The centre, has sen a growth in the number of children needing support.

“We were designed, originally, to support about 2,000 kids per year. We’re averaging over 4,000 a year. And that’s every year. And that’s just for our area,” explained Emmy Stuebing, the CEO of the Zebra Child & Youth Advocacy Centre

The Zebra Centre says it’s on the waiting list for another service dog, but that request might not be granted for anther year or two.

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