Breed: Labrador/Golden Retriever Mix
Kuzco is a member of the multi-disciplinary team at the James M. Barrie Center for Children, Inc. in Etowah County, Alabama. He is a part of the H.E.R.O program, which is a statewide Certified Facility Dog Program here in Alabama that assists in helping victims throughout the criminal justice process.
Kuzco is a service trained facility dog that works with child victims and their families at our CAC. He participates in forensic interviews, therapy sessions, and goes to court with children when they have to testify. When he attends a court hearing with a child, he sits at their feet inside the witness stand to provide comfort during their testimony.
The Barrie Center is a Children’s Advocacy Center located in Etowah County, Alabama. Our mission is to promote hope, healing and justice for child abuse victims and their families.
Kuzco was one of seven puppies born on May 25, 2017 to his parents, Meeko and Fitz, in Santa Rosa, California. Kuzco was raised in Springfield, Missouri until he was eighteen months old by his volunteer puppy raisers. At eighteen months old he returned to the Dallas/Irving campus of Canine Companions to begin his professional training where he learned over 50 commands. Kuzco was matched with and placed with his handler Patricia Falcon on November 8, 2019.
Several years ago, a young boy came to our CAC for a forensic interview regarding severe physical abuse. While the MDT was meeting after the FI, Patricia and Kuzco were keeping him entertained with all of Kuzco’s tricks. Kuzco played ball, jumped through a hoop, gave high fives… and then the little boy asked, “does he know how to snuggle?”. The boy laid on the floor curled up with Kuzco until it was time to go. Before he left, Kuzco gave him a stuffed Kuzco and a trading card to take with him.
About 3 years later, the boy came back to our CAC for trial preparation. While he was here, he opened his little wallet and pulled out his Kuzco trading card. He was so excited to show Kuzco that he still had it, and talked about how he would take it to school with him as a comfort item.
Kuzco truly made a difference with that child, and with hundreds of other kids in our community.
When he’s off duty, Kuzco loves to go camping! He loves an adventure!
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