N.B.'s 1st court service dog retires, 'left a paw print on all our hearts'

Nine years old might seem too early to retire but for Marielle the poodle — New Brunswick's first court service dog — that's 63 in human years.

Marielle stood next to or laid across the laps of more than 300 victims of crime, offering comfort to them in police stations and courtrooms across the province.

She set the standard in 2019 by becoming the first member of the New Brunswick Justice Facility Dog program which now has four other accredited dogs.

"She deserves to retire but she's created such remarkable change for people that it's also a bit bittersweet because we'd love her to work forever," Kristal LeBlanc, who created the program, said to a crowd gathered at a farewell party for Marielle in Shediac.

The program came from LeBlanc's ambition to offer support to people beyond what humans can during times of stress, such as when victims testify before a judge.

"We used Marielle so that we'd have stronger convictions and so that victims could take their power back," Leblanc said.

Marielle sat in on interviews with RCMP officers, forensic medical exams, court testimonies, interventions and therapy sessions.

LeBlanc got the idea from a yellow lab who was doing similar work in Ontario.

As the CEO of the Courage Centre, a shelter for women in the Shediac region, she saw the potential dogs could offer to clients she serves there.

It took about three years for Marielle to be accredited by the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.

"We fell in love with her the day we met her," LeBlanc said of Marielle, a black, curly-haired poodle.

LeBlanc became Marielle's co-handler along with her co-worker, Chantal Thanh De Alba. Soon enough, LeBlanc and De Alba were bringing Marielle into work every day.

"It's a very intense bond and one of mutual respect and admiration," LeBlanc said.

The dogs are trained to apply pressure to victims, almost like acupuncture, when they sense a shift in their mood.

Marielle often used a move called the hug command, where she places both of her paws across a client. LeBlanc said she's stayed in that position for hours at a time to help.

"It's that deep pressure on the lap that feels like a heated blanket, but so much more."

Their presence also lowers cortisol levels, which can help a victim stay calm and say what they need to say.

Marielle cuddled next to victims in 99 trials

Stacey Beaulieu has been guiding victims through the court system in Moncton since 2018, and uses the justice facility dogs almost weekly.

"It brings a light to a situation where you would not think that it would be possible to have a light in the darkness," she said. "There's only so much a human being can do."

An important aspect of Marielle's cuddles in court has been helping victims recount things that happened in the past.

"When you're in a situation of trauma, your brain reacts certain ways to protect you," Beaulieu explained.

Marielle's calming affect "helps with the memory recall," she said.

Although the public might occasionally see Marielle sporting a signature festive outfit at community events, she'll be enjoying her retirement in the care of LeBlanc and De Alba.

LeBlanc hopes Marielle feels the love from everyone she has had an impact on, and knows that her work "left a paw print on all our hearts."