Marlee makes immediate impact on juveniles in court

A young teen walks into Holmes County Juvenile Court, afraid, angry, nervous, intimidated.

Regardless of what infraction there might have been, this occurrence takes place on a regular basis, sometimes to young people who simply made a bad decision.

Holmes County Juvenile Judge Thomas Lee can choose his words compassionately and kindly, with all of the best intentions, but it doesn’t alleviate that feeling of despair and anxiety.

Enter Marlee, a juvenile court figure that has the ability to instantly diffuse the intensity a young person may face when entering the courtroom.

You see Marlee has the ability to touch kids in a way Lee never will. That’s because Marlee is a cuddly 40-pound Goldendoodle that can calm anyone down without saying a word.

When Lee began exploring the opportunity to introduce a therapy dog into the courtroom, he quickly realized the power a cuddly face has on people who are in a difficult situation.

Thus, he was passionate when introducing the idea to the Holmes County commissioners, and he turned to Rachel Cornell, Holmes County probation officer, to train Marlee, who was introduced to the courthouse employees on July 5 as an 8-week-old.

Since Marlee’s arrival the program has been nothing short of amazing in its results, and Marlee’s presence has helped many young people navigate through a tense time. Not only that, Marlee has made a positive impact on people throughout the courthouse.

“She’s been a huge hit with all of our kids,” Cornell said of Marlee. “Whenever they see me, whether they are on probation to me or not, they are asking about Marlee. Everyone wants to see the floppy teddy bear, which a lot of people call her. She’s touched many people’s lives in ways we as humans can’t.”

Marlee’s first appearance in juvenile court was at a detention hearing. Her impact was immediate.

Since then she has served the court in easing the anxiety and anger of young people.

“Some of our most aggressive, violent kids that come to court have benefited the most,” Cornell said. “They love having her here, sitting with her and having Marlee near them. She’s relieved a lot of tension and anxiety and made the process easier to go through for a lot of kids.”

Cornell said Marlee can’t officially become certified as a therapy dog until she turns 1, which would be April 30. Until then, handler and dog will continue to bond, as Marlee becomes more and more comfortable in the courthouse, a place Cornell said Marlee practically already owns.

She will continue to take Marlee through all of the stages of training until she can officially become certified.

“In total it is a 27-week training process to become certified,” Cornell said.

Cornell said the court went to great lengths to find the perfect fit for this role. They needed a dog that would be great with kids facing traumatic circumstances, and it was important their dog came from a reputable dealer.

“We wanted to make sure we knew her history including her parents, and we wanted to see how the breeder handled things with her,” Cornell said.

The search led them to Ohio Downhome Doodles, where they discovered Marlee’s dad also is a therapy dog.

“It was the perfect fit,” Cornell said.

With her introduction into the juvenile court system, Marlee became just the fourth such dog in Ohio, making her a true rarity. Cornell said it wouldn’t surprise her to see other juvenile court systems take note and explore the possibility of adding one to their own courtroom.

Dave Williams, chief probation officer, said Marlee’s presence has made an impact far beyond anything they could have hoped.

“She’s impacted the staff to the point where she creates a calmer atmosphere with more levity,” Williams said.

Williams said he has seen Marlee work her magic over and over with young people coming to juvenile court who are filled with anxiety. He has watched as Marlee helps to ease their pain.

“We see more and more kids lower their anxiety, which allows them to work their way through a difficult situation,” Williams said. “She has been a real blessing to our court and to our community.”

Animals have a way of breaking down barriers that humans sometimes can’t, and Williams said there is a trust that animals possess that neutralizes the edge for kids.

Cornell has already begun taking Marlee to public events including a recent visit to Tuscarawas Valley High School, whose staff and students continue to come to grips with the tragedy of the recent bus accident that claimed six community members including three students.

Cornell’s mother is employed in the TV school district, so her connections remain rooted to that community, and she said she was hit hard by the tragedy.

Knowing Marlee’s ability to connect with people and bring a sense of calm and peace to any situation, Cornell said she talked with her mother and they both felt it would be appropriate to visit staff and students.

“The day of the accident, the community held a vigil at the football stadium,” Cornell said. “We had all kinds of kids who would come up to Marlee and cuddle with her, hug her, and it provided a lot of comfort during a difficult time. It was really beneficial to them when they needed it most.”

The time-honored adage says “dog is man’s best friend.”

That stands truer than ever for young people, and Marlee is living proof of that.