By Anita Petrovic.
The lucky Melbourne registry of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has welcomed its first full time therapy dog, Poppy. As foreshadowed in our blog post Meet ‘Lucy’: The Federal Circuit & Family Court of Australia’s newest recruit, the Court has launched the Court Dog Program, with Poppy’s swearing in as an official Court Therapy Dog occurring on 4 October 2023.
Poppy will provide support to litigants, children and other people involved in the Court system. Given the stress, anxiety and trauma that can often be associated with peoples’ experiences of the family law system and the Court, having a friendly pooch by your side can help alleviate some of these negative emotions.
For more information, you can visit the Court’s Media Release – Therapy Dog Poppy’s ‘woof of honour’ as she is sworn into the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
We are looking forward to having a therapy pupper of our own in the Sydney registry hopefully in the near future!
Image: Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
