Meet MacDougal “Mac” - Juliette’s House Facility Dog

Mac, raised and trained by Assistance Dogs Northwest on Bainbridge Island, Washington, joined Juliette’s House in July 2019. Serving on the assessment team, Mac offers support and comfort to children and families. Studies show that being in the presence of a dog can reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Mac, chosen for his love of children and calm demeanor, brings this therapeutic effect during medical exams and forensic interviews at Juliette’s House. Originally from a Guide Dog program in Queensland, Australia, Mac underwent training in Maui and has traveled for conferences, including to Yale and San Diego. Alongside his primary handler, Julie Siepmann, Mac advocates for the well-being of facility dogs.

FAQ 

Q: Does Mac know a lot of commands?

A: Mac knows around 90 different cues.  All assistance dogs through ADNW get service dog training, to help people with physical mobility issues, before they determine what type of work the dog is best suited for. Therefore, Mac can open and close doors, turn the lights on and off, and pick up things that get dropped. Although he doesn’t need to use many of these cues in his work, it’s fun for him to show off how smart he is!

Q: Is Mac a therapy dog?

A: No. Mac is technically a Courthouse Facility Dog, a type of assistance dog.  It can be confusing to understand the differences between service dogs, assistance dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals.  Here is a bit of an explanation:

Service dogs: are not pets. They assist a person with a disability. This type of dog has public access because that access follows the person with the disability

Assistance dogs: (like Mac) are graduates of an accredited assistance dog organization. Originating in carefully bred litters, they have been socialized to a wide variety of conditions – public spaces, crowded restaurants, children of all ages, elevators and open stairways, cats, office workspaces, and public transportation. This wide socialization from an early age produces a dog that is not stressed by public life as an adult.

Therapy dogs: are personal pets that have undergone training with their owner, and then have been evaluated and registered by a local or national therapy dog organization. These dogs are traditionally used to visit patients in hospitals and residents in senior housing. Therapy dogs are not the best choice for use in legal proceedings due to limitations inherent in their registration/certification requirements.

Emotional support animal:  Although all dogs offer an emotional connection with their owner, to legally be considered an emotional support dog, also called an emotional support animal (ESA), the pet needs to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional to a person with a disabling mental illness. A therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist must determine that the presence of the animal is needed for the mental health of the patient. For example, owning a pet might ease a person’s anxiety or give them a focus in life. The dogs can be of any age and any breed. However, they are not service dogs and ESA users do not receive the same accommodations as service dog users.

Q: Does Mac live at Juliette’s House?

A: No.  Mac’s primary handler is Julie Siepmann.  She is the Clinical Services Director and Lead Forensic Interview at Juliette’s House.  When Mac is not working, he lives with Julie and her family. Mac’s secondary handler is Kayla Noffsinger, another forensic interviewer at Juliette’s House. Having a second handler who is trained to use Mac in evaluations means that Mac can participate in all assessments with children at Juliette’s House, regardless of who the interviewer is.