Four-legged graduate from Dogs with Wings ready to comfort children in court

Not all heroes wear capes.

Some, like Fletcher the yellow lab, wear tiny graduation caps, then take a nap.

• Zebra Centre support dog helps child witness testify
• The Zebra Child Protection Centre is expanding into a new location

Fletcher graduated from the Dogs with Wings program this weekend. Now in its 20th year, the program trains dogs to help Albertans with disabilities, or who may need support in the form of a furry friend.

Fletcher will work for the Zebra Child Protection Centre in Edmonton. The centre works with police to help children who have suffered abuse. Fletcher willoffer silent and non-judgemental support for children testifying in court.

The centre already has two support dogs, Wren and Fossey, but felt a third one was needed.

The Zebra Centre conducted 224 court preparation meetings in 2015, a 26-per-cent increase from the year before. A total of 334 trauma referrals were made to the centre in 2015.

In 2015, the centre supported1,314 children.

"They just help to calm the situation down forfamilieswho can be pretty stressed," program coordinator SarahDoolittlesaid."They can also be in the interviews with the kids, and can be a very calming influence in a very stressful situation for kids.

"It's pretty neat to see what these dogs can do."