— Young people, set to testify in court about the most terrible time in their life, have a secret strength — a couple of whole-hearted advocates waiting for them at the Becker County Courthouse: Raegna the dog, and her handler, Katie Watland.
Raegna, a big furry lion of a dog of the rare Leonberger breed, is a registered therapy dog and has found her calling helping young victims of physical and sexual abuse.
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She’s great with kids at schools and libraries and loves being with them, but she seems to understand that the frightened, stressed-out and often traumatized young people at the courthouse need her the most.
“This is by far her favorite thing to do,” Watson said in an interview at the courthouse. “She loves coming here, oh my goodness. She loves the interaction, she loves snuggling. That dog just wants to be right near you.”
Nathan Bowe / Detroit Lakes Tribune
Raegna just turned 2, and starting about a year ago, the Becker County Attorney’s Office asked Watson and Raegna to sit in with certain victims. They have done so for two or three cases — “the hard cases, the really traumatic cases,” said County Attorney Brian McDonald. Watson brought Raegna in to help multiple times in some cases, “which is cool because they love seeing her,” he said.
“We normally call Katie when we’re getting ready for trial prep meetings — getting the victim ready so they know what to expect,” said Amanda Jimenez, victim services coordinator for the county attorney’s office.
“They have a chance to review their statements and tour the courtroom,” McDonald added. “I always check with the victims beforehand (to make sure they’re OK with the dog). I’ve never had anyone say no.”
Just coming to the County Attorney’s Office scares a lot of victims, Jimenez said. “But seeing a dog here is instant relaxation, instant happiness,” she added.
“Certain breeds are naturally intuitive,” Watland said. “When you’re in emotional distress, she’s right there, hugging you.”
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Young people can more easily work with the prosecutor’s office with the dog under hand, because they are more at ease, and feel more comfortable letting their guard down, McDonald said.
“They are able to recall more things, and talk about it more freely,”’ Watland said. “She’s always their advocate. She never judges, and she’s always right there for them.”
For a number of legal reasons, Raegna is not allowed to accompany the young people when they testify in open court, but she is right there before they go in and right there when they come out of the courtroom, Jimenez said.
“It really helps to have Katie here before court,” she said, “and right after they testify, they come out and give such big hugs.” They “very much” appreciate Katie and Raegna being there for them, said Jimenez, who has been the victim services coordinator at the Becker County Courthouse for seven years now.
McDonald said Watland and Raegna have helped his office prosecute some difficult cases. “With all their help, we’ve had success lately,” he said. “This is Katie volunteering 100% — giving back,” he said.
Watland said she appreciates the opportunity to help young people while working with animals, something she has wanted to do since childhood. Back then she dreamed of using horses, “although I kind of got that now with Raegna,” she said with a laugh.
“We are absolutely so grateful for the opportunity they (the County Attorney’s Office) provide for us to help,” Watland said. “These people are just rock stars.”
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As part of the certification process for Raegna to become a certified therapy dog, both she and Watland — as her handler — underwent online training. They then went to St. Cloud to be evaluated by Pet Partners, a national company, and Raegna “scored as high as she could get — she got a ‘complex’ rating,” Watland said.
Watland taught eighth grade life science in Lake Park-Audubon Schools for 15 years, retiring on a high note in 2020, when she was a top 10 finalist for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year award.
That same year, she and her husband started a small dog boarding business — Knotty Dog Boarding, while she was home with her two boys during the COVID-19 pandemic. The family has Raegna, two other dogs as pets, and “now I usually have 10 to 14 dogs with me, on average,” Watland said with a laugh.
But Raegna, of course, is a special case, and seems to be loved by everyone she meets at the courthouse, from attorneys to bailiffs.
“Leonbergers were originally bred to be companion animals,” Watland explained, “so this is her jam.”
Bowe covers the Becker County Board and the court system for the Tribune, and handles the opinion pages for the Tribune and Focus. As news editor of both papers, he is the go-to contact person for readers and the general public: breaking or hard news tips, story ideas, questions and general feedback should be directed to him.
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