Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville Rotary Club was visited Wednesday, October 1 by 19th Judicial District Attorney John Carney, Assistant District Attorney, Kimberly Lund and Facility Dog Orson. Lund works with the court system to prosecute crimes against children and says her job is to talk with children about some of the worst things that could ever happen to them.
Lund spoke to the members of Rotary about her job but admittedly most of the conversation and attention was centered on her partner Orson. Orson is a three-year-old Labrador-Golden Retriever mix that the DA’s office has had for close to a year helping in court cases involving children. Lund says the children are more relaxed and more willing to talk with her when Orson is around.
In the courtroom, Lund said that very few people ever know that Orson is present when a case involves a child’s testimony. Orson takes his place beside the chair inside the witness stand before the jurors enter the courtroom. The child will sit in the chair next to Orson and they know that they are not there all by themselves which gives the child a sense of comfort.
Lund spent two weeks in Florida working and training with Orson at Canine Companions for Independence before returning with him last year. He stays with Lund and her family when he’s not assisting her with a case and she will have the option of adopting Orson when he retires from service when he’s around eight years old.
Orson seemed very at ease during the Rotary meeting as he lay on his bed beside the table where Lund and DA John Carney were eating lunch. Lund also showed how he easily followed commands and took him through some of the steps she uses when working with children. It was easy to see the strong bond that has been established between Lund and Orson.