Circuit Court Judge John Yoder of the 23rd Judicial District happened upon an accidental experiment involving dogs and children when he began taking his border collie mix to court recently in Berkeley Springs following a fire that had damaged his house late last year. Roxie, a 3-year-old stray that Yoder found abandoned near his home in Harpers Ferry, recently found herself in a new role comforting a little girl in one of the judge's abuse and neglect cases as she prepared to talk to Yoder at the Morgan County Courthouse several weeks ago. "Although I have been wanting to try this for some time, this first experiment was not something I planned in advance," Yoder wrote in an earlier article for the Spirit of Jefferson Advocate.
After the Dec. 16 fire, Yoder moved with the dog to a motel and had to keep her with a friend while working during the day. Having not been able to spend much time with Roxie, Yoder decided to take her to work so he could spend time with the dog during the one-hour drive to Morgan County and then keep her in his office while he was presiding over cases. A case in early January involved two young girls who were about to speak with Yoder regarding their placement. Yoder took the girls to his office to speak privately after the youngest and more fearful child said she wanted to go where the dog was. As Yoder struggled to calm the girl and get her to open up in conversation, he realized that Roxie may be able to help. Bringing the normally timid dog near the girl, Roxie lay down and the girl pet the dog as she spoke to Yoder about the case.
"She said what she wanted me to hear, with the assistance of Roxie comforting her, without any problems," Yoder wrote in his account of the event.
Roxie was probably abused herself, Yoder believes, and seemed to have an instant affection for the child. "I'm surprised that she lay right down and let the girl pet her," he added. "She seemed to have a sense that the little girl was uncomfortable."
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