Three Years With the Gift of Rachael: The District Attorney's Office Facility Dog
Please help us show Rachael, the 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office facility dog, extra gratitude this week as it marks three years of her service to Mesa County, making children feel better during meetings when discussing complex and traumatic information.
Rachael and her handler, Ashley, work with young victims going through court processes to help elicit information and reduce trauma from telling their stories.
Lives Rachael touched to date include:
- 505 child visits
- 142 hours in court
- 216 hours in forensic interviews
- 195 hours in therapy sessions
- 21 times in the witness box during testimony
Behind each of these numbers are children whom Rachael and Ashley impacted.
"The strength of these children astounds me each day. I never lose sight of how special Rachael is," Ashley Edstrom, Victims Rights Technician/Facility Dog Handler, said. "A parent told me the other day, 'You have the best job in the world,' and I couldn't agree more."
