SYDNEY, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Australia's New South Wales state is rolling out a dog therapy program to help calm people including witnesses and suspects at its courthouses, authorities said on Wednesday.
Trained labradors will patrol at least 10 courthouses across the state, "looking to help anyone who's stressed and in need of fur therapy," the state's Attorney General Mark Speakman said in a statement.
The dog rollout follows a successful pilot program, which "received unanimous support, with anxious victims and witnesses feeling more relaxed and ready to give evidence after patting the helpful hounds," said Speakman.
"We know that the presence of a dog can help calm people and lower anxiety," said Guide Dogs NSW/ACT CEO Dale Cleaver, whose organization is working with the state government on the program and helping to train the canines.
"I'm looking forward to seeing our dogs soon bring comfort and companionship to court users at other courts throughout NSW," said Cleaver.