San Francisco CASA's Courthouse Dog Nemo's Retirement

San Francisco CASA’s courthouse Dog Nemo is retiring after 6 years of being part of our Courthouse Dog Program. After Nemo’s swearing in, he was in the courtroom during dependency court proceedings, deescalating tension, creating a calm environment and being compassionate to everyone in the courtroom - including children, youth, and families. Judges and attorneys also tell us they often appreciated his presence on a tough day - a few moments petting Nemo is a wonderful stress relief. SFCASA staff definitely enjoyed his frequent Friday visits to our office.

Nemo was handled by long-time CASA Shelley Gottlieb and co-handler Cynthia Dragon after being expertly trained by Canine Companions.

The Courthouse Dog Program played a big part in creating trauma-informed spaces and a feeling of belonging and security, with Nemo at the center of this wonderful program.

We would like to thank Nemo for his service, for always providing a sense of safety and peace around the children, youth, and their families. We would also like to thank Shelley and Cynthia for taking care of Nemo and for their countless trips to the courthouse to help make a stressful process a little more comfortable. On occasion, they even visited youth in other settings when his presence was needed.

We hope you enjoy your retirement, Nemo!