Meet Hatty: Chicago’s top dog will comfort child victims of sexual abuse

Hatty is Cook County State Attorney’s Office latest hire who learned the ropes at a men’s prison in Illinois.

Now, the 2-year-old black Labrador will go to work as a trauma dog to help comfort victims of sexual assault and domestic violence — specifically children.

“Hatty is the 1st facility dog ever in our office,” the State Attorney’s Office said. “She will be in court with child victims of sexual assault, handling about 150-200 cases a year.”

Hatty was sworn in last week.

It’s an innovative approach.

But it works to get to the heart of physical, social and emotional impact of trauma to victims, according to the office.

Hatty will be on hand for 150-200 cases per year. Kim Foxx/Twitter

“We are proud to have a resource like Hatty to provide a source of comfort for victims as they navigate this difficult process,” the office added.

Hatty is an important addition to the team, according to State Attorney Kim Foxx.

Hatty with Kim Foxx, Cook County’s State Attorney. Kimm Foxx/Twitter

Foxx understands the need first-hand.

As Chicago magazine pointed out in a Jan. 2019 profile:

“Sometimes fighting through tears, she talked about, among other things, hiding in the bathtub from stray gunfire when she was growing up in Cabrini-Green, being sexually assaulted at age 5 by a relative, having to move to a Salvation Army homeless shelter after her mother was suspended from her job, buying an Amtrak ticket to Carbondale to talk her way into a spot at Southern Illinois University, traveling with a bodyguard these days because of death threats, and, not least of all, suddenly having a place at tables where she never expected to sit.”

Foxx has certainly been through a lot.

But now, children in Cook County will have a helping hand, or rather, paw to see them through.

It’s a tough, but important job.

And Hatty’s just the dog for it.

Hatty is on the job. Kim Foxx/Twitter

Photos Kim Foxx/Cook County State Attorney/Twitter

About the author

Recovering newspaper reporter.

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