Simba The Lab To Provide Comfort To Kids In Court

Simba is the nation's first dog to be assigned to a county public defender's office. While the name Simba might remind most of us of a beloved cartoon lion, kids at the Depke Juvenile Justice Complex will meet another Simba whose purpose is to comfort them. The 2-year-old Labrador retriever is assigned to the guardian ad litem office, which advocates for kids' best interests. Simba has one mission, and it's a lucky one. "His job is to be petted," said Kathy Gordon, an assistant public defender and guardian ad litem, according to the Daily Herald. She'll be Simba's main handler.Simba "will provide comfort, compassion and companionship to children involved in abuse, neglect and dependency cases. He will share his same empathetic energy in any Public Defender case where his special presence is needed," the release said.