FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – The CARE House of the Pee Dee tells News13 that the facility has a new employee, but this one is unique. “McGuffy”, a yellow lab, is the newest staff member. He will serve as the facility dog.
“He went to a place where they call college, which is advance training where he worked with a trainer on a daily basis for the next 9months before he went through team placement and then he and I got placed as a team,” said Meg Temple, Executive Director of Care House.
McGuffy will comfort abused children who come through the CARE House, a child advocacy center located on North Irby Street in Florence.
“Our mission is to promote help, hope, and healing in a nurturing environment to child abuse victims and their families through supportive services and prevention,” says Megan Temple, CARE House Executive Director and McGuffy’s handler. “McGuffy fits right into our mission. The children that come through our doors love him, and McGuffy loves the attention.”
McGuffy is trained as an ‘assistance dog’, meaning he’s expertly trained in completing tasks and avoiding distractions, the CARE House tells us. McGuffy was rigorously tested to ensure he remains ‘docile and appropriate in all environments’.
“He works by sitting in on investigative interviews with kids, so that when they tell their horrific stories of abuse, he’s there as a comfort,” said Temple.
On Wednesday, McGuffy was busy getting a tour of the Florence County Judicial Center, putting him closer to being able to sit with children as they testify in abuse cases.
“I think it’s a benefit even to our staff and we see horrible things everyday and he is a comfort as well to us,” said Temple.
