LI Comfort Dog, 'Helped Countless Crime Victims' In DA Offices Honored With Walkout

MEDFORD, NY — Comfort canine "Mega" spent her working dog years giving thoughtful nuzzles to ease the fear and anxiety of countless crime victims from Long Island.

She's escorted many to the doors of the courtroom and then would wait patiently outside as they gave their testimony.

On Thursday afternoon, the thoughtfulness and patience was returned as dozens of staffers waited outside of the Suffolk County District Attorney's office in Hauppauge as Mega took her final walk out of the building as part of her official walk-out ceremony.

After eight years of service, officials expect her life now will be a little bit more relaxing with plenty of nuzzles — and belly rubs — coming her way in retirement.

The 10-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever was the office’s first facility dog, having arrived with her handler, Assistant District Attorney Amanda Burke, who left the Nassau DA's office for Suffolk in September 2022. Mega's career spanned eight years under four different DAs, including Suffolk's Ray Tierney and Nassau's Ann Donnelly.

She also worked under former Nassau DAs Kathleen Rice, a former congresswoman, and Madeline Singas, now an associate judge of the New York Court of Appeals, as well as former acting Nassau DA and current Queens District Attorney Executive Assistant Joyce Smith.

Mega's most recent boss, Tierney, said she showed dedicated service to countless victims and witnesses of crime in both counties, "comforting them during their most vulnerable times."

“Facility dogs contribute to the healing process by providing attention, comfort, and companionship," he said. "I want to personally thank Mega and her handler, Amanda, for their impactful work at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and to the people of Suffolk County.”

Mega was born Aug. 20, 2012, at the Canine Companions breeding facility in Santa Rosa, California, and at eight weeks old, she joined her "puppy-raisers," the Masters’ family, at their home in Virginia, Tierney's office said.

The family taught Mega all of her basic training and gave her plenty of love and most importantly, socialization, so that she became used to all types of environments, people, and stimuli, according to Tierney.

At around 18 months old, Mega matriculated into full-time professional training in Medford at the Canine Companions Northeast Regional Campus where she learned 52 different commands, including some as advanced as turning lights on and off, Tierney's office said.

Mega was part of the October 2014 training class when she matched with her facilitator, Burke, who was an ADA in Nassau at the time, according to Tierney's office. Once Mega graduated from Canine Companions, she became the first facility dog in a DA’s office on Long Island, and the second facility dog in a DA’s office in the state, Tierney's office said.

In Nassau, Mega helped hundreds of victims and witnesses by sitting with them calmly inside the office while they met with staff attorneys, and went with staff to detective squads, or hospital rooms where a victim was being interviewed after trauma, according to Tierney's office.

She would play fetch with child victims to relieve the tension they felt after talking about what had happened to them, not to mention accompany them before and after their testimony, Tierney's office said.

Mega was "a beloved member" of the Nassau DA’s office before leaving with Burke for the Suffolk DA’s office's Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Bureau, Tierney's office said, adding that although she has only been working in Suffolk for a few months, "she has made a lasting impact on everyone she has met, including victims and staff alike."

Mega's first boss, Rice, said it was a privilege to welcome Mega as the Nassau DA’s first support dog, "and with a gentle paw or nuzzle she gave comfort to countless victims and witnesses throughout her years of dedicated service.”

“I’m wishing Mega a long and enjoyable retirement filled with love, naps, and plenty of treats,” she said.

Smith said that during her tenure, she personally witnessed the benefits of having Mega comfort witnesses "who needed additional support during their presence in our offices and in court."

“She has performed an incredible service to crime victims, and we are honored to have worked with Mega," she added.

Donnelly noted that survivors of violence – especially young people – have a very difficult time discussing traumatic events, but Mega helped countless survivors both young and old feel at ease "in the very intimidating atmosphere of a courthouse and a prosecutor’s office."

“At the time, Mega began working for us in 2014, she was only the second Canine Companion facility dog to be placed in a district attorney’s office in New York State," she said. "We thank our partners at Canine Companions for blessing us with the best coworker and fetch partner you could ever imagine. Mega: thank you for your years of service to the residents of Nassau County. We wish you an easy retirement with unlimited treats, belly rubs, and leisurely walks.”

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, Tierney welcomed Tillman III, a two-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever/Golden Retriever mix, also trained by Canine Companions to take over Mega’s role as the new facility dog for the DA’s office with Assistant District Attorney Melissa Grier.