Comfort Dog K-9 Barney Joins Montgomery County DA Team

NORRISTOWN, PA — The Montgomery County district attorney's office announced a new hire to provide comfort and reassurance to witnesses and victims of crime.

K-9 Barney, a two-year-old golden retriever and Labrador mix, has been brought on board to man the halls of the Montgomery County Courthouse.

See related: Montgomery County's K9 Turks: The Most Interesting Dog In The World

Barney has enormous paw boots to fill. His predecessor, Turks, spent some seven years in the DA's office and developed a legendary reputation.

“We know first-hand from our experience with Turks how important a courthouse comfort dog can be in reassuring victims, especially children," DA Kevin Steele said. "These special dogs makea difference in whether a child is able to share what they know or are just too afraid to talk. Barney is a great dog, and we are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”

Supporting humans going through a rough time is second nature to Barney.

Born on June 16, 2022, Barney spent the first six months of his life with Canine Partners for Life, a volunteer group in Delaware. He then transferred over to SCI Somerset, where inmates in the state corrections Prison Puppy Raising Program taught Barney obedience and other "basic building blocks" service skills, the DA's office said.

After about a year undergoing that training, Barney went to CPL’s campus in Cochranville where he received specialized training from professional service dog handlers.

At the courthouse, Barney will hone his skills in his final stages of training with his handler, Montgomery County Det. Eric Nelson. During the day, Barney and the detective will wander the halls and rooms of the courthouse.

At night, Barney will go home to Nelson and his family.

While refined and deeply emotionally intelligent, Barney enjoys the simple things in life. His preferred game is fetch, and he is partial to stuffed animal toys that squeak.