Kuzco II is a service trained facility dog at the James M. Barrie Center for Children, Inc.
605 S. 4th Street
Gadsden, AL
35901
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Motivation and support comes in many forms, including a cold nose and a warm heart. The James M. Barrie Center for Children welcomed its newest staff member, Canine Companions for Independence Facility Dog, Kuzco II in November 2019. Patricia Falcon, Executive Director, will be Kuzco’s primary handler and Betty Wetzel, child and family therapist, will be his secondary handler.
Since 1975, Canine Companions has bred, raised, and expertly trained assistance dogs in over 40 commands designed to assist people with disabilities or to motivate and inspire clients with special needs. The primary responsibility for Kuzco will be to provide comfort and support to child victims of abuse. He can also pull toy wagons, play games, tug open the refrigerator to retrieve water bottles for clients and his favorite skill, provide a comforting nuzzle as he visits with clients during difficult interviews. He has specific commands that allow him to interact with clients in a calm and appropriate way.
The James M. Barrie Center for Children, Inc. is the Children’s Advocacy Center serving Etowah County, Alabama. The primary mission of the organization offers a multi-disciplinary approach to providing specialized forensic interviews, trauma therapy, advocacy and support through legal proceedings to child victims of sexual and/or physical abuse as well as child victims who have witnessed violent crimes. On average, the Barrie Center provides 350 forensic interviews each year with approximately 85% of those children with allegations of sexual abuse.
The process to acquire Kuzco began in 2018 as Patricia Falcon began the application with the support of the Barrie Center Board of Directors and our local District Attorney, Jody Willoughby. Falcon stated, “it was very important that we had the full support of the District Attorney’s office as well as our local judicial system as Kuzco will be providing services to victims throughout court proceedings.” Kuzco will be joining seven other facility dogs across the state in participating in the HERO Program through the Office of Prosecution Services and is supported by a grant with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
