Tuesday, Cass County Courts swore in the newest and furriest employee, Baxter.

Baxter will serve as a therapy dog to the courts to provide comfort to traumatized victims and witnesses.

Maybe we are a bit biased here at the paper because we love all four-legged creatures, but we want to extend our congratulations to the county for taking this step.

Several studies point to the fact the utilizing therapy dogs in the courtroom can have benefits for witnesses and employees alike. According to the American Psychology-Law Society, courthouse dogs assist individuals who suffer from psychological, emotional or physical difficulties and/or those who would benefit from the comfort of an animal while giving testimony.

By making therapy dogs available to witnesses in Cass County, officials are taking a strong stance that they care about the people who come in and out of their courtrooms and that they want to make navigating the legal process, which can be overwhelming and difficult, easier.

While Baxter was sworn in Tuesday, he is actually not the only dog operating within the Cassopolis Law and Courts building. The Cass County Prosecutor’s Office recently started using its own therapy dog, Belle, to assist with child victims and witnesses throughout the interview process. We are of the opinion that the more dogs, the merrier.

With Baxter and Belle in the courtroom, we believe Cass County Courts will be able to better serve the victims of crimes in the county.

Opinions expressed are those of general manager Ambrosia Neldon, managing editor Sarah Culton, sports editor Scott Novak and reporter Adam Droscha.