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Hatty the Labrador sworn in at state’s attorney’s office in Chicago

Hatty’s job is to ease the strain of criminal proceedings on young children and those with mental health issues.
Hatty’s job is to ease the strain of criminal proceedings on young children and those with mental health issues. Hatty’s job is to ease the strain of criminal proceedings on young children and those with mental health issues.

An unusual new member of the team has been sworn in at the state’s attorney’s office in Chicago.

A Labrador retriever named Hatty has become the office’s first emotional support dog and was trained partly by inmates.

The two-year-old will work on a 9-to-5 human schedule but is being asked to do what comes naturally to most dogs: show affection.

Her job is to ease the strain of criminal proceedings on young children and those with mental health issues who have been victims of assault.

Cook County State's Attorney's first facility dog Hatty is sworn in by Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx at the George N Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago
Cook County State's Attorney's first facility dog Hatty is sworn in by Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx at the George N Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago Cook County State’s Attorney’s first facility dog Hatty is sworn in by Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx at the George N Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago (Camille Fine/Chicago Tribune via AP) (Camille Fine/AP)

She will handle up to 200 cases annually.

Cook County state’s attorney Kim Foxx presided over the swearing-in.

Hatty stood on her hind legs over a table and placed her paw across a law book as an oath was administered.