Pioneering comfort dog joins ranks of Sherbrooke police force

Children who have been abused, witnessed domestic abuse, or are dealing with other trauma have an ally in the newest member of the police force in Sherbrooke, Que.

Kanak is a mid-sized black Labrador. He's been trained to sit with children and provide comfort as they navigate every step of the judicial system.

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Comfort dogs have existed in Canadian police forces since 2010, but according to the Sherbrooke police, Kanak is the first in Quebec.

In the United States, more than 70 dogs have been trained to accompany victims while they testify in court. Bycomparison, only 13 dogs in Canada have been trained.

Could help investigations

Kanak's master, Det. Mlanie Bdard, said she's heard from other officers in Western Quebec and the United States that the dogs are a big help, for both the children and officers.

"The presence of a dog will comfort the children, make them feel safe,"she said.

"It helps us get more relevant details to the investigation things we might not have gotten otherwise."

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Parents and children aren't forced to work with Kanak.

Investigators will ask parents first if their children are allergic, then they'll ask the children if they're interested in sitting with a dog.

Kanak is donehis training, but has not started working with children yet.

He'll accompany Bdard to work for a couple of months while he adjusts to his new surroundings.